Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Livelihoods: the Siyakhana Initiative
Date
2015-11
Authors
van Niekerk, Bianca
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
This Honours research report assesses whether participation in urban agriculture helps reduce poverty in Johannesburg and improves the livelihoods of its inner city poor. The investigation was undertaken in Bez Valley, Bezuidenhout Park, where the Siyakhana food garden is located. The findings of the investigation revealed that the Siyakhana Initiative has improved the livelihoods of its gardeners by improving their food security, helping them gain an income and has become a place where the gardeners are able to benefit by learning about permaculture. However, the findings also revealed that the gardeners have not fully benefitted from the food garden, but rather that they have been able to receive income simply due to external funding the Initiative has received. Also, the report shows that the Siyakhana garden has not been able to extend its benefits to the broader community, mainly due to its poor business model. This nevertheless laid bare the fact that the Initiative is in need of more support from the CoJ despite their attempts to put food security on the policy agenda. It has also emphasised that support from urban planning and local government as a whole is needed in order to ensure that urban agricultural projects such as Siyakhana become more sustainable in the future.
Description
Planning Honours Report 2015, Wits University
Keywords
urban agriculture, poverty, Johannesburg, Siyakhana Initiative, food security, community
Citation
van Niekerk, B (2015). Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Livelihoods: the Siyakhana Initiative, Johannesburg