HGA grow-ing
Positive strides continue to be made at HGA Grow’s pilot site at the Centocow Mission Station near Creighton. We have had three students involved full-time to date, each of whom have made positive contributions towards the success of the 800 sq.m vegetable garden that has been established. As we are yet to secure a partner for this programme we are grateful to have been able to sell the bulk of the produce that has been grown from the garden since it was started in September 2024. The students have enjoyed the freedom to trial different methods on a variety of crops and have had the opportunity to learn what can be achieved through utilising the resources one has at their disposal. One of our objectives is to demonstrate to surrounding community members that one can produce their own food even if you do not have access to expensive inputs. Through, for example, organic and regenerative cultivation techniques such as composting, mulching and a well thought out planting plan that involves crop rotation and companion planting, success can be achieved.
The Centocow plot offers our students the space to learn through experience and then take their knowledge to the surrounding communities. A perfect opportunity has presented itself for this in the group of around 30 women who farm on a communal plot, ‘market garden style’, at Hlabeni and we have recently conducted a survey in order to learn what challenges they face in their farming practices so that we can now how to address those and have began arranging workshops for this purpose. Efforts have also been made to deal with some of their infrastructural and logistical challenges such as upgrading their irrigation system and facilitating the collection and delivery of seedlings that they have purchased.
We are excited to see productivity grow at both Hlabeni and Centocow as we learn together through the sharing of knowledge and experiences.
Programme Manager, Dylan Weyer and HGA Intern, Thembeka Mhlongo with a good crop of cabbage about to leave the garden. (Photo taken by Smanga Jaca)