brownsense ISSUE #7 2019
WE ARE THE ONES.
the land
& food Issue
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Founder's Note
MZUZUKILE SONI | FOUNDER & CEO Over the past year, we've witnessed highly emotive engagements around the issue of land, and its expropriation without compensation. We have seen the commissions and heard the diverse representations that took place. This included the condescending "what are you going to do with the land" question, which also came from Brownies. I would like to share our personal journey centred around the "land issue", or rather the "landlessness issue". We started the BrownSense Market in its current form, in June 2016. Prior to that, we had had two markets/exhibitions under the headline "BrownSense Black Capital", both of which were held in indoor spaces. We were then offered an outdoor space on a plot in Glen Austin, Midrand and so 'BrownSense @ The Farm' was born. It did not take long before we experienced the following: - Our posters were forcibly taken down by our neighbours, while we stood from a distance, paralysed by the disbelief in what we saw; - A guest of the market had a gun pointed at them by a "concerned neighbour"; - The owner of the plot became the subject of attacks by his neighbours. This experience led us to the decision to procure other premises, and again, similar activities took place. Many more stories like the above can be shared, but we remain resolute and driven by the goal to have the market one day owning its own space. Brownies have, since the beginning, been asking for this. As you go through this issue of BrownSense Magazine, consider the land issue deeply: what it means for you, and for us as a collective. We are, after all, about finding solutions and not getting stuck in feeling helpless while waiting for a saviour.
CONTENTS WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.
2 FOUNDER'S NOTE 4 DECLINE IN AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY THREATENS FOOD SYSTEMS 6 CAN WE USE TECHNOLOGY TO STOP RURAL GOVERNMENT COOPERATIVE PROJECTS FROM FAILING? 8 ON THE PROHIBITION AND LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA 13 SEEKING MIELIE IN *MILPA 20 AFRICAN MARMALADE FINDING A PLACE FOR INDIGENOUS FOODS 21 URBAN GARDEN CRUSH INSPIRATION FROM AN ORGANIC GARDEN IN A GATED COMPLEX BACKYARD
16 Opportunities For Land In Tourism Zulu Nomad's Phaka Hlazo shares ideas on how to leverage land for tourism
22 WHAT YOU EAT 6 PRINCIPLES TO A BETTER FOOD LIFE
65%
OF THE AFRICAN POPULATION DEPENDS ON AGRICULTURE FOR LABOUR & LIVELIHOODS, PRODUCING
80%
OF FOOD CONSUMED ON THE CONTINENT
DECLINE IN AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY THREATENS FOOD SYSTEMS
DECLINE IN AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY THREATENS FOOD SYSTEMS AND THE LIVELIHOODS OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN AFRICA
BY MARIAM MAYET
Agricultural biodiversity, which supports food systems globally and on the continent, is diminishing at an unprecedented rate, putting the future of our food, livelihoods, health and environment at great risk. This warning comes in State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO’s) first-ever report on this linkage, which was published on 22 February, 2019.
Agricultural biodiversity encompasses all the plants (including, and especially, seed) and animals – wild and domesticated – that provide humankind with food, feed, fuel and fibre. The FAO report points in particular to declining plant diversity in farmers’ fields. The diversity of farmers’ seed, including that of wild food species, as well as many other species that contribute to ecosystem services vital to food and agriculture, such as pollinators, soil organisms and natural enemies of pests, are fast disappearing. This is placing the global food system and smallholder farmers’ livelihoods under severe threat. A key contributor to global biodiversity loss is the industrial food and agriculture system, which is dominated by a handful of companies that control the global seed and agrochemical sectors, relying on just nine species (sugar cane, maize, rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava). Where once we had access to 6,000 cultivated plant species, these are now in serious decline and wild food sources are becoming increasingly harder to find. In Africa, meighbours and less than 10% from the formal seed sector, where corporates dominate. Most farmers in Africa farm on less than 2 ha of arable land so, in order to feed their families and produce for local markets, they need to maximise productivity through growing a diversity of crops for different growing seasons, using intercropping systems, and adapting their planting to climate change. This is only possible if they have easy access to locally adapted seed at the right time and in sufficient quantities suitable to particular cropping systems, soil, and climatic conditions. However, these farmer-managed seed systems have come under immense pressure, particularly in
the last 20 years, from the industrialisation of African food and seed systems and the rise and dominance of the commercial seed industry. Global seed and agrochemical sector controlled by the ‘Big Six’ Seed and agrochemical giants BASF, Bayer, Dow, DuPont, Monsanto and Syngenta currently control 75% of the global agrochemical market, 63% of the commercial seed market and over 75% of all private sector research and development. This oligopolistic situation, which has already resulted in loss of farmers’ seed autonomy, deepening structural inequalities and environmental damage, will only worsen: US chemical giants Dow Chemical and DuPont have merged, China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) acquired Syngenta, and Bayer has acquired Monsanto. The BayerMonsanto merger has given control of 30% of the world’s commercial seed market and 25% of the world’s commercial pesticide and herbicide (agrochemical) markets to just one company. Globally, civil society groups are contesting the hegemony of Bayer/Monsanto, large-scale commercial farming and corporate agri-business. This is driven by a strong ethos of food and seed sovereignty that supports the struggles of small farmers to build alternative food systems. We are campaigning for urgent shifts to agroecology, which can provide enough food for all in a sustainable manner, by building on farmer managed seed systems that are extremely rich in biodiversity.
MARIAM MAYET IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT AFRICAN CENTRE FOR BIODIVERSITY
CAN WE USE TECHNOLOGY TO STOP RURAL GOVERNMENT COOPERATIVE PROJECTS FROM FAILING? BY: LINAH MAPHANGA
Technology innovation can unlock a lot of opportunities for South Africa. In agriculture, technology can be used to improve yields, product quality, market access and management skills. Technology can be used as a tool to lower the cost of entry to the industry and also to break the current entry barriers that are blocking under resourced, rural and small-scale farmers to compete with big commercial farmers. In other parts of Africa, like Nigeria, technology solutions such as digital crowd funding platforms are used to fund non-bankable small-scale farmers. In East Africa, digital technologies are used to enable small-scale farmers to access affordable farming inputs, farming information and also have a platform to sell their agricultural products to market agents and wholesalers. In South Africa, we have Khula App that is helping small-scale farmers to access markets. From tractor sharing platforms to artificial intelligence bots, technology innovation in Agriculture in Africa is gaining traction, simply because it has both social and economic impact. The agriculture industry has a massive value chain that needs small businesses to participate and supply their local markets. Although there are technology solutions that currently exist, the industry still needs more, especially for small-scale farmers and small agro-processors that work with limited resources.
In the agriculture industry, technology can help small-scale farmers to leapfrog their current challenges and get the necessary support they need to become profitable like big commercial farmers. Small-scale farmers currently find it difficult to access formal markets due to poor quality of the products and low volumes. As a result, they cannot access commercial bank financing products. Such problems can be eliminated by the use of technology. Digital technology solutions can assist small scale farmers in terms of giving them expert advice on weather, soil analysis, fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation that will improve the quality of their crops, and ensure that they meet formal market quality standards. The 4th industrial revolution calls for local innovators to come up with digital solutions that will help small-scale farmers, land redistribution and landÂ
reform beneficiaries to access expert advice, farming information, farming inputs, farming support services and access to markets to ensure that they succeed in their farming businesses. New agro-processing small businesses can be created using digital technologies to upskill local residents and to build a value chain around small scale farmers, land redistribution and land reform farm beneficiaries. Thus building local, rural and township economies that are essential to the growth of the South African economy. Among many problems faced by small scale farmers is livestock theft. This problem can be solved by using internet of things (Iot) whereby trackers are attached on the livestock and farmers can use their mobile phones to track and guard against their livestock to combat theft. There are many such Iot solutions out there, but they are not affordable to small scale farmers, and
thus only available to big commercial farmers. Digital technology solutions such as the Khula App, Farmers Assistant and eMakete among others can assist smallscale farmers, under-resourced farmers, land redistribution and land reform farm beneficiaries to leapfrog current market barriers and ensure that failure is reduced. Technology solutions range from digital platforms, drones, Internet of Things (Iot) trackers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) sensors, ultra-nutritious fertilisers to alternate feeding products. All these technologies, if built at a price point that under-resourced farmers can afford, will definitely reduce the number of failed rural farming projects and government cooperatives in South Africa. However, mobile network data costs remain the biggest challenge for farmers to use digital technology solutions especially when you’re operating under limited resources. But the opportunities that come with using technology to upskill agribusinesses, farm workers and agro-processing small businesses are endless. In agriculture, technology will create more employment opportunities than it is taking away. This can only happen if employees are upskilled and can operate these technologies as needed, and new businesses are created in the value chain. The use of technology in agriculture will also encourage the youth to participate in this sector. The agriculture industry needs all stakeholders to adopt technology innovations and also to work together to ensure that it serves its purpose of growing our economy, solving our social issues and also developing our rural communities.
Technology has the potential to change the fortunes of smallholder farmers
Linah is the founder of Farmer Assistant App, an AI Chatbot that helps small scale farmers and government cooperatives access farming support services, financing, expert advice and to develop and run their farming businesses. Farmer Assistant was launched in 2018 and currently has 1500 users.
The historical global prohibition of cannabis resulted from earlier colonisers inability to monopolise the cannabis industry in the same way they could alcohol and tobacco. And if they couldn’t make money, nobody would. In Southern Africa, it was founded on the same racist foundations which inspired the most brutal of apartheid laws. These laws served as a device for white domination - to disadvantage and persecute African communities. Modern regulations, it seems are aimed at reinforcing those colonial patterns of capital accumulation. Unless‌
ON THE PROHIBITION AND LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA WILL AFRICANS SEE THE PROFITS?
Words & Images: Anaz Mia For hundreds of years, colonists and settlers tried to prohibit and regulate the use and trade of cannabis. In respect of alcohol and tobacco the ‘political economies of addiction’ illustrated that intoxicants made good business sense. Using modern agricultural techniques and wily laws, they were easily able to monopolise the latter two. Attempts to monopolise cannabis, however, were less successful. In the 17th century the Cape attempted to regulate cultivation but given the propensity of trade with other African cultivators and the ease at which cannabis could grow, prohibition was difficult to enforce and didn’t generate sufficient profits. For the next few hundred years Cultivation in the so-called
“native reserves” continued unabated. The advent of indentured labour from India (19th Century) compelled settlers to revisit prohibition. The following was said: “we are strongly convinced that the smoking of hemp is as baneful to the Ka***r as to the Indian… it is our duty to suggest that chemists, holding special licences …, should be the only persons allowed … to sell any portion of the hemp plant … to any person whomsoever, whether of white, Ka***r, or Indian descent. (Natal Indian Immigrants Commission Report 1887) The initial emphasis of prohibition being trade, rather than use, reveals their true intentions. The simple reality was that Indian merchants
knew how to commercialise cannabis and they didn’t . This represented empowerment and wealth for persons other than white people and it would not be allowed to happen at all costs. What was to follow was a century of legislative brutalisation, which arguably shared the same ideological foundations of later apartheid laws. Regulation would be impossible to police: cultivation and use were widespread, and the area that would need to be policed was vast. Since they couldn’t monopolise it, they banned it outright. In order to justify their draconian measures of prohibition, a moral outrage would have to be manufactured. The native affairs commission was instructive here.
It reported that, amongst others, cannabis use “depreciates the quantity and value of African and Indian labour”; and “Cannabis use was a direct cause of madness and violence … [and] are committed by men rendered furious by its toxic properties”. It was all Swart Gevaar and Black Peril. They evoked images of ‘feral Zulu armies’ mad with the effects of cannabis storming the white towns. Their claim now was that cannabis-use facilitated moral degeneration. Be reminded that they hadn’t previously questioned the morality of the trade in intoxicants. Morality was certainly not an issue when settlers introduced alcoholism to communities in the Cape, and even went so far as to pay farm workers with wine (See the Dop System). They then threw in some good old fashioned colonial brutalisation for good measure: a community in Kwa-Zulu Natal with centuries old traditions of cultivating cannabis who were found to be guilty of trading with Indian merchants. A small war ensued and 22 Men from that village were taken to Pretoria to be hung. The greatest travesty, however, is that this interrupted an already established, centuries old, regional trade. The characterisation of the African cannabis trade was so deeply racist and reductionist.
For the sake of propagating a racist idea, they disavowed centuries of scientific medical practices by African people. For example, Basotho women are know to have used cannabis to ease childbirth. Western medical practitioners are only just coming to terms with anaesthetic effects of certain cannabinoids. But times have changed. By 2025, the cannabis market will be worth $145 billion. Given our (Southern Africa) ideal climatic conditions, the fact that one third of cannabis seized globally reportedly has South African origins and the fact that the bulk of this product emanates from rural people in indigenous communities, you’d be tempted to believe that finally the cultivators of Pondoland and KZN will finally receive their just reward. This may not be the case: the neo-colonisers have just found increasingly more sophisticated methods methods of establishing and maintaining their monopolies, using technology and complicated international law. The dirty secret of the new Basotho cultivators is that in almost two years of cultivation, they have allegedly only traded a mere 850 grams of cannabis. This is because of International Narcotic Control Board quotas. This body, empowered by the UN, sits in Switzerland, and issues trade quotas for a list of dependency producing substances. An INCB document speaks of a total quota of 91.9 tonnes of legal production at the global level.
By 2025, the cannabis market will be worth $145 billion As of January 2019, the quota issued to Africa collectively doesn’t exceed 3kg. I will repeat so you know it not a typo. As of January 2019, the quota issued to Africa collectively doesn’t exceed 3kg. African governments and cultivators will have to lobby hard in the future to have this increased. It’s not going to be easy. Even when we are allocated quotas, cultivators must adhere to strict guidelines; focusing on soil, fertiliser, irrigation, herbicides and pesticides. In order to export to Canada, for example, cultivators will have to obtain Good Agricultural Practices, Good Manufacturing Processes and Organic certification. They will have to test their product for heavy metal content and have it irradiated. The regulatory hurdles are expensive and amount to mere ‘gate-keeping’. The only cultivators that will pass the bar are European and north American cultivators. In addition, the development of the industry is such that it has become heavily technologically focused. Cultivators use genetic technology to engineer super strains to enhance yield potency and disease resistance. Basically, access to funds and technology (Hydropnics, aeroponics, artificial lighting) will ensure that western cultivators will monopolise
4
cannabis production in the years to come. The arduous licensing conditions will exclude poor community growers. The victims of prohibition will continue to be marginalised despite the legalisation of the plant.
18
In addition, the development of the industry is such that it has become heavily technologically focused. Cultivators use genetic technology to engineer super strains to enhance yield potency and disease resistance. Basically, access to funds and technology (Hydropnics, aeroponics, artificial lighting) will ensure that western cultivators will monopolise cannabis production in the years to come. The arduous licensing conditions will exclude poor community growers. The victims of prohibition will continue to be marginalised despite the legalisation of the plant. The legalisation of cannabis on our shores have got western cultivators and investors chomping at the bit to cultivate cheaply in southern Africa. Ironically though, the legalisation of cannabis will only serve to push community growers out of the market. At the very least, it will devalue their product on the black market. This can be avoided by implementing a licensing regime which pairs capital and technical partners whose responsibility it will be to sufficiently capacitate communities to produce a product that is saleable on the international market.
Anaz Mia is a lawyer, entrepreneur and activist who cultivates cannabis legally in the Kingdom of Lesotho. He has licensing initiatives underway in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa.
Unless measures are adopted to give cannabis back to our communities modern regulations will serve to reinforce colonial patterns of capital accumulation, and poor rural African communities will be excluded from the cannabis boom.
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SEEKING MIELIE IN *MILPA
MAIZE, CORN, OR MIELIES IS FOOD WE GREW UP EATING FROM OUR MORNING CEREALS TO OUR DINNERS. IT SPANS A HUGE RANGE OF USE WITHIN OUR CONTINENT AND MANY CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER A TIME WHEN MAIZE WAS NOT THERE.MAIZE, HAVING AFRICANISED ITS ROOTS AND BECOMING SYNONYMOUS WITH EVERY MEAL, LIKE RICE USED TO BE OR BEFORE THAT, OR MILLET OR SORGHUM. MAIZE IS THE PRIZE CROP, AND OFTEN RECEIVES THE PRIME REAL ESTATE WITH HIGHER ALLOCATIONS OF WATER AND THE BEST SOILS THAN THE OTHER GRAINS IN THE MIXED FIELDS. UP UNTIL NOW, IT HAS BEEN UNDERSTOOD THAT MAIZE IS IN FACT FROM AFRICA AND OF COURSE, MANY CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER A TIME WHEN MAIZE WAS NOT THERE. BY ZAYAAN KHAN
Yet maize grew over thousands of years of familial development with people in Mesoamerica. Centuries of breeding and selecting cobs and seeds perpetuated seed stock for infinite years in the future. Tracing back years into the past, the closest ancestors maize is recognised to have are the wild teosintes, their thin, short ears are closer to what we recognise as grass, as opposed to the plump and swollen cobs of maize or sweetcorn we are so accustomed to. Yet many seed libraries carry both varieties, ensuring the wild teosinte is never far away to continue crossing natural adaptation and evolution into the bred strains we are so accustomed to. Teosinte growth is wild, bushy, voluptuous, their flower thin and not as pronounced as their foliage. Maize, however, stands tall and erect, focusing energies on producing seed as opposed to lush leaves and green growth. Taking out the kernels of the word teosinte, we see teo is rooted from the Nahuatl word for god, teotl, and cintli as ‘dried ear of maize’, teocintl which then morphed into teosinte some centuries and colonisations later. Teosinte is also known in some places as abuelo, grandfather, a grandfather grass that continues to pass on infinite lineage. This ancient grassy maize has been continuously cultivated and has many faces; flint corn, maize corn from central america, sweet corn from the north, popcorn from further south. Short and thin, square and flat, raindrop round, some hooked, all maize in all iterations. Colours ranging from white, red, black, blue, yellow, orange and in Peru as if someone has taken a toothbrush and flicked purple paint on lilac kernels.
Issue 27 | 234
*MILPA: SPANISH WORD FOR MAIZE FIELD
Mexico is the home of maize and the heart of Zea family. We know borders are illusory: to say one type of maize originates from one country can be misleading, but as a family, Zea resides in a great distribution, all cousins, some distant, some close. In Mexico, maize is the people and the people are maize, maize is consumed at every meal in many ways. From cool and sweet atole, an almost milky hot drink which is delicious with oats drunk especially for breakfast, or champurrado which is similar but with chocolate, elotes or esquites with their spices or condiments, tamales with maize as pastry wrapped in corn husk, to maize as bread like tortillas or quesidillas, and fermented into tesgüino as sacred beer further north. Maize has been eaten throughout the day, every day for centuries. It's the ultimate staple food. Maize is the people and the people are maize. An especially delicious delicacy is huitlacoche, a fungus that inhabits some maize and engorges the kernels transforming their colours completely, morphing them into something that looks almost animalia. The fungus takes on a gray hue and when cooked, it darkens as if the maize was cooked with ash. This is a pivotal moment in the relationship of maize and people, in industrially grown maize this would be seen as a huge loss: smut is sprayed and controlled, defeated, killed.
Yet it is so sought after and a speciality, as it seems this smut has not caught on and survived in Africa. Corn smut is how it’s known in english. Smut is frowned down upon, kept hidden, mostly suppressed. It could be that maize was imported into Africa in the 16th Century through Portuguese coloniser movement, but this is not certain, and it could have come earlier by arab travellers. Maize was quickly adopted and spread throughout southern Africa, with broad linguistic heritage. Yet it was only the seed itself which was shared, or at least the only part of the story that stuck. You see, maize comes with an integral culture in Mesoamerica: it is only because of maize that the creation of humanity was successful, maize is the people and the people are maize. Maize is not in singular guided by a singular god or even binary as masculine or feminine (as its botanical understanding would lead you to believe). Maize is not in singular guided by a singular god or even binary as masculine or feminine (as its botanical understanding would lead you to believe). Maize is thus grown in the milpa, never alone, never without beans and pumpkin or squash. Milpa is the field of maize so ubiquitous in Mexico, maize the most obvious plant in the field but never without beans or squash or pumpkin or chayote or avocado or sweet potato. Milpa became known as the Three Sisters, namely maize, squash and beans all able to inter-grow, maize as
dappling of shade and upright growth for climbing beans or other plants, the squash covering the ground and all plants working with each other. Maize is hungry, it quickly depletes the soil if left to its own devices and will not succeed past a few generations, the beans and squash ensure constant replenishment, not just nutritionally but within their agroecological environment, the insects, micro-climate or waters. The milpa is thus the extension of maize, or perhaps seen not as separate, it is not male, it is not female, it is both mother and daughter, father and son, child and guardian. Milpa is an extension of survival, without milpa there is no future and no past. Milpa is part of the resistance of the landscape, the seed has been taken care of for thousands of years and defending the seed becomes about defending the territory. On a recent trip to Oaxaca, milpa was everywhere, in the region milpa is still strong and has not been contaminated by the monotony of monoculture and genetic modification like further north where the illusory line lives, fences, guns on patrol, men in uniform, check points and long queues separate Mexico from The United States, even though they reside on the same land mass. Could it be because of vast uptake of agriculture as seen by the agroindustrial complex and the rapid movement of the Green Revolution in Africa that we don’t often see the milpa in the fields that dot this land?
36 I began to ask farmers about why they farm and where they learnt it from and without prodding, I would begin to hear stories of grandmothers who used to plant these plants together. These same children who grew up to be farmers in the cities with maize rotating in the fields but not grown amongst other seed. Yet curiously, somehow we missed out on the vital step of nixtamal, the process of cooking the kernels in alkaline solution, kalk, slaked lime or ash. This process pre-digests or softens the kernels to be easier digested like with pozole, a stew or soup using whole nixtamalised kernels, but mostly to allow a glutenesque pliability that makes masa, which is the dough used to make tortilla. In South Africa we suffer a similar maize to the “gringo maize”, maize without milpa, maize without nixtamal, maize without smut, maize without story, maize who is not allowed to grow different to his sister, maize forced into conformity, uniformity, concocted in laboratories and vast tracts of sterile land. This way of maize became a bastardisation of where maize originates and now is the most common form of maize available. Genetic modification of maize is perhaps the height of corporate control, above the state and above government. It is added to most foods processed in its many forms through the agroindustrial complex as thickeners, additives, bulkers, flavourants and so on. So even if you are not eating maize, it is within the foods that come pre-packaged and often cannot be avoided. Yes, it is even often the biggest ingredient in processed breads. Thus a country like South Africa, similar to many southern African countries, consumes maize as a staple too even if you are not eating maize from the cob. Stories of origin often weave their way through us through myth and legend, the inherited stories told through the generations, the story of maize in Africa is no different. As stated, perhaps it traveled with the colonisers, perhaps it travelled with travellers, perhaps it is true that an African variety of Zea mays existed closer to the north and began to be cultivated, and perhaps this was closer to wheat than what we see as maize but these stories have been mostly diluted. Zayaan Khan is from Cape Town and works in understanding nuances within food systems by navigating land from an interdisciplinary perspective. Firmly rooted in a socio-political context, she works at unhinging our dependence on neoliberal consumption. Instagram: @byzayaankhan
Tesgüino, a sacred, fermented corn beer brewed by Tarahumara Indians in Mexico
Huitlacoche, a common fungus in corn, known and discarded as corn smut in English. Huitlacoche is a delicacy in Mexico
Hominy is a dish made of corn, similar to samp
ADVERTORIAL
ADVERTORIAL
OPPORTUNITY IN TOURISM By Phaka Hlazo
There was a meme that did the rounds a while back with an image of a maize farm captioned “what white people think we will do with the land” alongside an image of some gentlemen in ZCC uniforms mid-air captioned, “what we plan to do with the land”. The meme was funny, but in 25 yearold South Africa where young people have had limited exposure to the opportunities that land expropriation represents, very relevant. My adventurous nature was piqued in my twenties as I traveled through twenty-five countries, immersing myself in the local experiences of each one. Turkey forever has my heart for the incredible experiences on gullet cruises sailing the
Mediterranean, for paragliding in breathtaking Oludeniz and hot air ballooning over magical Cappadocia. I have been on party buses in Shanghai, shot a rifle in the jungles of Ho Chi Minh, hiked to remote rice villages and waterfalls in the Philippines, been scuba diving on Lake Malawi and explored Santorini by quadbike. I am an adventure traveler. I spend a lot of time traveling South Africa by road and having been exposed to so many countries, it is near impossible for me to explore our country without thinking of the possibilities if I were to come upon some land. Below is my list of four tourism related opportunities that I would explore, depending on where the land is.
“Backpacking and staying at youth hostels internationally has taught me that the world is full of adventurous young people who are yearning for new, unique, experiences. As young tourism entrepreneurs”
LAND ON THE COAST
The untapped potential in our coastal cities and towns is incredible! Growing up in Durban, for example, there was only one bowling alley in the entire city and it was all the way in Umhlanga. If my land was closer to the city centre or Glenwood, I would look into opening a bowling alley. That’s not even taking advantage of the coastline. If the land was closer to the beach, I would build a spot for water activities. I would invest in some jet skis, kites for kite surfing and a catamaran or two, explore the ocean for suitable sites for scuba diving and train up other young people to run the activities. The smaller towns along this coastline would make a wonderful location for an ocean facing wellness retreat or spa in a nice rural setting.
LAND NEAR A RIVER OR LAKE
Houseboats! We have so many stunning dams, rivers and lakes in this country. I first came across houseboats as a young student in the UK 12 years ago and I have been hooked on the idea since. A houseboat is essentially a boat that is built to be a small home that can travel from place to place along a body of water. As an owner of land near a lake, I would invest in a house boat or two and advertise them on Airbnb and TripAdvisor Experiences. FARMLAND
With the decriminalization of cannabis internationally and the subsequent rise of the cannabis industry, economies which are further ahead in the process have started developing cannabis tours. If I had farm land I would grow cannabis and I would learn about the history of the plant, collaborate with a
PHAKA'S TOP TIPS
FOR TOURISM LAND USE
chef to make some edibles unique to the farm or area, explore cannabis infused drinks and voila, I host a cannabis tour. If I had a large enough farm, I would consider developing farm stays - inviting young people to come and work on the farm as farm hands helping us develop unique experiences for travellers. Arrangements where young people come and work on your farm in exchange for a place to stay and meals are very popular in various countries, including Israel and the USA. MOUNTAINOUS AREAS
Start by researching the history of the area: we take so much for granted as young people. If you have traveled with an accredited guide you will know the difference that visiting a specific area and getting an understanding of the history of the place actually makes to an experience. Next, research how to develop hiking trails, mountain climbing activities and build wood cabins. These relatively inexpensive initiatives to explore. If I did have a bit of money, I would invest in some hot air balloons or offer paragliding from the top of the mountain coming down. LET'S COLLABORATE
Backpacking and staying at youth hostels internationally has taught me that the world is full of adventurous young people who are yearning for new, unique, experiences. As young tourism entrepreneurs, we cannot compete with the safaris and luxury game resorts, however, there is huge potential for tourism still. The African continent is projected to have over 850 million young people by 2050: many millions will be traveling the continent, and you can bet that safaris will be the last thing on their minds. If you already have unique experiences which you have developed or have identified could be developed, contact us at hello@zulunomad.com to collaborate on bringing travelers to experience your offering.
BROWNSENSE MARKET AFRICAN POT, 21 BRAND ROAD PRESIDENT PARK MIDRAND 26 MAY 2019 11-5PM
WWW.BROWNSENSEMARKETS.CO.ZA
AFRICAN MARMALADE
Simphiwe Sithole is a warrior fighting a battle that many do not realise exist. Indigenous food has been pushed to the periphery, so much so that it is a pleasant surprise when we see it on retail shelves. She has made it her mission to ensure that healthy, indigenous African is made accessible to South Africans.
I have observed with great interest the increase in the number of Africans young & old, men and women in urban and rural areas who are getting into farming . I welcome the groundswell of Africans into the agricultural space. I wish this interest would go hand in hand with food sovereignty, food justice and diversity as well as taking indigenous African food out of the periphery into the mainstream. After all, it is the indigenous Africans who owes it to future generations to restore Africa's lost crops that are conspicuous by their absence in our retail shelves and fresh produce markets. In SA one would expect to see more indigenous fruit and vegetables everywhere but instead what is in abundance is a wide range of produce from somewhere else in the world that has since been made to be part of our fresh produce consumption. This is an indictment on the African farmers who do not have anything indigenous or African in what they grow. Many farmers are either growing what is easy or is in demand. Very few are venturing to growing what has become rare thereby missing out on the opportunity to grow crops where there is no competition and price wars. I have seen initiatives like 'Asibuyeleni Emasimini' which are great to stimulate interest in farming, but only encourages people to farm and not address what to farm. If the current generation does not grow indigenous food which is drought resistant, good for us and very nutritious we run the risk to wipe out all these crops from the list of common vegetables and fruits. Most will be a distant memory for those who grew up eating them.
Indigenous African food is not poverty food nor is it food you eat when visiting family and relatives in rural areas. It should be incorporated into your everyday diet. Everybody else eat their food and preserve seeds from past generations. It is for this reason we see edible and nonedible plants indigenous to certain parts of the world now present in SA, because food must follow the people wherever they go. As we move forward as a nation we need to take our indigenous food with us while we embrace new flavours from elsewhere. We need to be proud of who we are and where we come from. Some of these forgotten crops taste far better than what we buy every day. As a new farmer you need to ask yourself is there an indigenous plant (fruit or vegetable) in my garden or farm?.If the answer is no, you need to ask yourself a simple question - if you are not growing anything indigenous who should? Then proceed to ask yourself this question - who are the custodians of indigenous African food. As we move back to the land to farm,.let us be conscious of what we grow as our actions today will determine what is written about us in future and when you have all sorts of strange food in our shelves you would have contributed to that situation. It begins with the seeds that are now so scarce but some old people have carefully preserved them. The new farmer needs to find these seeds and improve access to them and allow farmers who want to grow such crops in large scale to have access to the seeds. SIMPHIWE IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AFRICAN MARMALADE
IMAGE: AFRICAN MARMALADE
URBAN GARDEN CRUSH.
SUE GRANGER STARTED ORGANIC GARDENING IN HER SUBURBAN GATED COMPLEX HOME AFTER LOSING HER BROTHER IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND EXPERIENCING HEALTH CHALLENGES. SHE HAS SINCE GROWN TO BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO MANY BEGINNER GARDENERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
What made you start growing your own food? I started growing my own food because I love exotic fruit and veg and to buy those in a reputable shop is quite pricey, I wanted to know exactly what was in the food I ate, also most importantly I wanted to save money.
How did you learn to grow food? Its an inspiration that came after I lost my little brother in a car crash and my blood pressure was high for so long and the doctor said if I don't do something I will sleep and never wake up. For some reason, I had a voice that kept telling me that I must start gardening it will heal my soul. I just started, and then before I knew it, I was Youtubing how to grow Asparagus or pomegranates and the rest was history.
How does living in a complex or gated community limit or encourage your garden? Its space limiting but, with creativity anybody can do it because I did, and sometimes I even have excess that I sell to my colleagues, so it doesn't matter the space, the most important is to start.
What would you tell someone who wants to start growing their own food but is afraid to? Just start!!! you will never regret it, its healing!
Why grow organic produce? I believe in Mother Nature so much. If we are kind to her, we will not need chemicals and pesticides as she had already fixed everything for us to enjoy. As I grow my little patch, I use methods that heal and I can only imagine if everyone took time to heal Mother Earth we will all have food in abundance.
Get inspired by Sue Granger's adventures in urban gardening by following her Facebook page: @nubianqurbanpatch
WHAT YOU EAT. BY: BROWNSENSE MAG
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GROW YOUR OWN
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EAT LOCAL
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It can be pretty daunting, especially when you think you don't have "green fingers". Everyone can grow something. Growing food can be a stress reliever, and harvesting is a very rewarding activity. Growing your own ensures that your family can start eating organic food very cheaply.
Smallholder farmers are everywhere, and with urban farms mushrooming everywhere, it is getting more and more convenient to support our local economies. When eating locally, remember to #circulatetherand and buy from Brownie farmers and suppliers.
BE A NEIGHBOUR You can club together with your neighbours to supply one another with vegetables from your gardens each week. Most gardeners experience a surplus of produce, so build a little bit of a neighbourly spirit and build your community while feeding one another.
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TEACH THE KIDS Incorporate the children into the routine of growing food. They will soon start to wake up early to tend to the garden themselves. Who knows? Maybe the next generation of farmers have their eyes glued to the TV, when they could be starting early!
TRY HEIRLOOM Produce has changed over the years and to be honest, what we access in the stores tends to be really monotonous. Heirloom seeds provide the untempered with flavourful, interesting varieties that have been passed down from generation to generation. Brighten up your plate with rainbow carrots or top your salad with a yellow, orange and black tomatoes for a change.
PRESERVE THE SURPLUS Traditional means of preserving food are wonderfully cheap and simple Drying, curing, pickling and fermenting are delicious ways to ensure your harvest lasts long and stays fresh.
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