Learn about food gardens
Growing our own food in public or private gardens is a very good way for us all to take more responsibility for how and what we eat. It saves us money and helps the environment by cutting down on emissions from food transport. On top of this, growing our own food helps us create better ‘food security’ – in other words, making sure all Capetonians have enough to eat.
City support for urban farming
By growing our own food, we can:
- improve our diet and health;
- help alleviate poverty and hunger;
- build a healthy community;
- save money and protect ourselves from the rising cost of food;
- educate and learn;
- build skills and create jobs;
- feel more connected to nature and its cycles;
- build a sustainable city;
- reduce food waste; and
- reduce the carbon and water footprint of our food due to less industrial production, transportation and storage
Whether you are thinking about growing your own herbs or food in your home, or starting a bigger gardening project in your community, get active and join the urban farming revolution! At the City, we support urban farmers and food gardens through programmes, funding opportunities, and key partnerships with not-for profit and private sectors.
Opportunities to connect
See our full list of
City-supported food gardens and get in touch with one of them, or sign up for the
Cape Town Green Map newsletter to stay informed about opportunities and collaborations in Cape Town’s green community.
You can also read our food gardens and urban agriculture policies to find out more about how we support and promote food security in our city:
Early Childhood Development Centres
A number of our
ECD centres also have food gardens that provide food and education to young children. They are also a source of nutrition for the most vulnerable members in the surrounding communities.
Start a community food garden
Setting up a food garden is a wonderful way to help feed your community and encourage healthy eating. Gardening is also great exercise and helps us learn about nature. If you are a new farmer or a team of people hoping to begin your own project, read about how to
start a community food garden and commercial food gardens and city farms.
We also recommend that you read:
Keeping livestock in the city
If you want to keep animals for food purposes or commercial reasons within our city, it’s important that you follow the rules on how to do this safely and healthily. You can apply to
keep livestock in the city, ensuring you meet the needs of both the animals and your community.
Green gardening is best
When planning your garden, there are some tried and trusted methods you can use to grow healthy, strong plants, right for our environment:
- Work with nature and plant according to the seasons.
- Plant a variety of indigenous plants, even if not edible. This is good for the health of the soil and you’ll have fewer pests.
- Some plants work beautifully together – this is known as “companion planting”. For example, basil helps to keep pests away and leads to sweeter tomatoes.
-
Create compost or a worm bin with your kitchen waste. Compost improves the quality of your soil, resulting in healthy plants.
- Use water wisely. Even when we are not in a water restriction period, water is precious and has to be conserved. Try using
alternative water sources for your garden.
Top tip
Indigenous plants are best because they do not threaten other plant species’, use less water, require less fertiliser and pesticides, attract birds and bees, and look great all year round.
You can consult our
Smart Living Handbook for more advice on how to grow and live smartly and sustainably in Cape Town. You may also want to read about
turning your garden into a commercial venture.
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