What is UASA?
Across the globe, up to 54% of the population live in urban areas, making these areas large and expansive across our planet. This areas are also large producers of waste, producing millions of tonnes of waste every year. Within this waste, thousands of tonnes of food is wasted as well, making cities and urban environments among the most unsustainable areas on earth. We, as humans, have over tilled and unsustainably developed farm lands to a point where more development is needed to feed the extremely fast growing, global population. This is where Urban Agriculture South Africa (UASA) comes in. We are a non-profit organization that plans on shaping a more sustainable earth, by tilling the concrete jungles of the South Africa and setting up urban and peri-urban farms in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Based on models of urban farms from across the world, UASA hopes to establish urban/peri-urban farms in the two largest cities of South Africa, and create more sustainable, food producing urban areas.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, urban farms are up to 15 times more productive than rural agricultural areas. In some urban farms around the world, an area as small as 1 meter squared could provide 20 kg of food per year. This kind of development would be extremely beneficial towards the sustainability of urban and semi-urban areas in these cities, which are very dependent on rural agricultural practices for food. With these areas producing food, jobs and potential economic opportunities (selling produce), urban areas could become more independent in terms of feeding its inhabitants. Farms in these areas could also provide organic, safe and sufficient food source for the citizens of these cities.
Ultimately, we aim to establish four urban farms in Johannesburg and Cape Town that would provide an organic, safe source of food and jobs for the citizens of these cities. This project also aims to gain public and government support for these farms, which in turn would open more jobs and create a well funded, efficient system of urban agriculture. As urban agriculture is rarely recognized as a form of productive agriculture by governments across the globe, these farms would need to be privately funded and worked until such time as the farm is up and running, efficiently producing crops. After which the support of government would be incorporated, creating opportunity for jobs and the possibility of creating other urban farms. These farms would still maintain a co-operative
Here are a list of our goals we hope to achieve in the next 10 years. This project is a long term project and will eventually make the concrete jungle a sustainable place to live.
Our goals within our first year:
- Set up 4 citizen run (for citizens, by citizens) urban farms in Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Provide a source of healthy, safe, organic food for the people of these cities.
Goals for 3 years:
- Establish both government and private funding/volunteers for
- Establish formal paying jobs in urban farms
- Open more urban farms in these cities
Goals for 5-7 years:
- Expand to other cities in South Africa
- Expand to other cities in Southern Africa
- Establish an international organization that is both government and privately funded.
Overall Goals of Organization:
- Healthy, safe, organic source of food for citizens across South Africa (eventually becoming international).
- Government funded urban farms.
- Job creation through farms
- Agricultural development in cities
Payment plan for startup:
In order to achieve many of these goals we will have to raise a sufficient amount of money, roughly around $100,000 for each farm. $400,00 is a lot of money, but through kickstarter funding and volunteering, the money can be achieved. Annually, urban farms make an average of up to $60,000 after all expenses are paid, becoming profitable in a year and a half. Ideally, the work on these farms will be for the people and by the people. By allowing people to volunteer to work on these farms, they can get some produce in return for their work.
Obtaining land is one of the issues at hand. Small plots of land and other properties are available in both cities yet rooftop growing could be a viable option as well.
Total Amount Asked for:
$400,000
To set up 4 urban farms in Joburg and Cape Town
Money for land:
$200,000 for all four urban farms (farm of about 500 m squared)
Land for growing food.
Setting up each farm: (crops, buildings, equipment, etc.):
$50,000 for each farm
So the farms will be able to produce effectively.
Income average annually:
$60,000 after expenses
Farms will be profitable in 2 years.
Our time is now! It is time to till the concrete jungle… Come and join the effort in making South African cities more sustainable!
Written by Founder of Urban Agriculture of South Africa, Jonah Dollery
Works Cited:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations page on urban and peri-urban agriculture: http://www.fao.org/urban-agriculture/en/ (1)
Urban Farming International™: http://www.urbanfarming.org/ (2)
Cape Town Magazine Article on Urban Farming: http://www.capetownmagazine.com/social/food-for-thought/118_22_18970 (3)