Community food gardeners will have the opportunity to sell their fresh produce directly to the public at selected Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets on Thursday (10/03).
This initiative forms part of the Shoprite Group’s market day, which is aimed at empowering gardeners to sell produce from their small-scale gardens.
“We first introduced the market day in 2017 to extend our support to the many community food gardens that Shoprite and Checkers partner with,” said Judy Maluleka, community social investment manager for the group.
“The market day provides gardeners with a platform to promote themselves to a wider customer base. This not only creates additional earning opportunities, but also gives gardeners the opportunity to gain skills about operating in a formal retail environment.”
Gardeners of aproximately 24 fresh produce gardens will participate in the market day.
Fresh and organic produce, such as spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and green beans, will be made available.
“Hunger relief is at the core of the Shoprite Group’s corporate social investment programmes,” says Maluleka.
“Through its Act For Change programme, the group supports more than 160 community food gardens and over 2 500 home gardens, which impacts almost 17 000 beneficiaries. Over the past year, more than 570 people were trained in sustainable food gardening.”
According to Maluleka, the group’s support of community food gardens includes an 18-month agricultural training and mentorship programme, as well as the supply of seeds, seedlings, gardening implements, water-supply infrastructure and shade netting.
- The produce of community food garden projects will be sold at the following supermarkets in the Free State: Shoprite Parys (Phahamang Basadi Food Garden); ) Checkers Parys 2 (Epilepsy South Africa);) Shoprite Setsing (Ntsoanatsatsi Community Garden);) Shoprite Botshabelo Mall (Free State Rural Women Assembly agro-ecological hub); and ) Shoprite Mandela Park (Qholaqhwe Garden Project).
The market dayprovides
gardeners with a
platform to sell their
fresh produce
