MUCPP food gardens

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="02c285a1erlcgo.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>FARMING SUCCESS</B></FONT><B>     |    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FARMING SUCCESS"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="approach9f.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Approach followed"><U>Approach</U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT>First-gardens<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="order_form9d.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Order form"><U>Order form</U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="site.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Choosing a site for your garden"><U>Site</U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="compost.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Backyard compostmaking"><U>Compost</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>  MUCPP Food Gardens : Where it all started</I></div> <div> <IMG SRC="3e2580a0.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="10" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="820" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 124 WIDTH="804"><div> The Mangaung–University of the Free State Community Partnership Programme (MUCPP) started in 1991 as a local community partnership health development programme.  It is located in the township of Mangaung, adjacent to Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. </div> <div> The partnership has been developed between the Mangaung community, the University of the Free State (UFS) and the Provincial Health authorities.  The partnership's first aim was to make both health services and the University more accessible to the disadvantaged majority.  MUCPP received funds from W.K. Kellogg in the USA from 1991 to 1997.  This financial assistance formed the corner-stone of the whole development process of MUCPP after 1991.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 71 WIDTH="804"><div> In practice, the MUCPP stands for community and partnership initiative. MUCPP's community development projects have as sole aim the uplifting of the quality of life of all people in the community. The MUCPP is engaged in a variety of activities varying from health care for everyone, education, job-creation, social and cultural upliftment, sports development and many other projects. </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 59 WIDTH="804"><div> This central element of community development in MUCPP programmes, has linked the UFS with projects in schools in Mangaung, built capacity in unemployed youth as entrepreneurs, and started community food gardens, amongst other activities.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 59 WIDTH="804"><div> The need for an experimental food garden close to the clinic and other MUCPP activities were identified. MUCPP started the first food garden in Mangaung on 1 September 1995. The Food Garden of MUCPP has literally grabbed the attention of the Mangaung people.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 107 WIDTH="804"><div> The operating philosophy of MUCPP is that all its activities are based on shared decision-making, guided by principles of non-racialism, non-sexism, a sound developmental approach and improvement of the quality of life of the people in Mangaung.  The level of community involvement and participation in the project is impressive in all the activities of MUCPP. There are structured community inputs and participation in decision-making at all levels. This focus on community and partnership development, empowerment and capacity building has made the people aware of their much needed contribution to development.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="804"><div> At first the idea was to train ten people on 0,08 ha.  Eight unemployed people were appointed to work in the vegetable garden. These people were not hand-picked, but "taken from the street".  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 265 WIDTH="363"><bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The eight workers received one season's practical training from Mr Joseph Nkoti, head gardener, under the guidance of lecturers from the University of the Free State.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="668a0030.jpg" border=0 width="416" height="259" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 35 WIDTH="804"><div> Everything went well until marketing time and the real hard work started. Six of the eight workers dropped out during the marketing period of the vegetables. New decisions had to be made.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 53 WIDTH="804"><div> During a community meeting at the beginning of the new season (March 1996), it was decided that the training should be done on a wider basis. Mr Nkoti and his two assistants acted as extension officers for the problems the community experienced on growing vegetables.  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 35 WIDTH="804"><div> At the same time the University of the Free State started with the development of a training course as well as the production of a training video.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 35 WIDTH="804"><div> The first training sessions started with people from clinics, old-age homes, preprimary schools and other unemployed people from the community to encourage them to grow their own vegetables in their backyards.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 53 WIDTH="804"><div> The idea of the wider training was that an increase in the production of vegetables would have a direct influence on the health of the community. Trainees entered the MUCPP to start with the above-mentioned programme to improve the quality of life at clinics, old-age homes and private homes by providing fresh and good quality vegetables.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 71 WIDTH="804"><div> The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences worked in partnership with the community of Mangaung in the vegetable garden project.  The departments involved were Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Pathology, Agriculural Engineering, Entomology and the Centre for Agricultural Management, which each incorporated their knowledge to develop a training programme in partnership with the community.  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 71 WIDTH="804"><div> About 30 people from within the community (clinics, old-age homes, schools and private home owners) attended the training sessions on a regular basis.  The community then saw the need for a training video that could be used in schools and vegetable and fruit garden development.  The Centre for Agricultural Management and the other departments immediately started with the writing of a script  for the training video.  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 268 WIDTH="363"><bR> <div> The community were also innovative in the sense that they came up with a new idea of community development which could produce more and better vegetables on the same area of land and the same amount of water to increase the health of the community.  </div> <bR> <div> This new idea was then put into practice with the development of a site of 0,08 ha at the MUCPP site which were used as an extension and training centre.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="66a89060.jpg" border=0 width="393" height="262" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 228 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="66b39d80.jpg" border=0 width="313" height="216" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="436"><bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Mr Nkoti was once an unemployed person who lived in a nearby squatter camp.  </div> <bR> <div> His outstanding knowledge and enthusiasm for the garden as keeper and information officer for the community, was rewarded in a competition sponsored by SANSOR, when the MUCPP in 1996 received the price for Peace Garden of the Year in the corporate class.</div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 167 WIDTH="363"><div> Unfortunately, the first vegetable garden had to make way for the erection of the MUCPP Community Health Centre and was moved to a site nearer to the MUCPP offices.</div> <bR> <div> Terminal patients took the initiative to plant vegetables in between the flanks of the Health Centre where the original topsoil used for the first garden, can still be used for growing vegetables.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="673c2920.jpg" border=0 width="194" height="146" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="676c1910.jpg" border=0 width="193" height="145" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 306 WIDTH="363"><bR> <div> The second food garden also had to make way for the erection of a Economic Development site.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="66d7de10.jpg" border=0 width="381" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Starting with the second vegetable garden</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="67a73fd0.jpg" border=0 width="371" height="253" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Economic Development and Training Centre</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 673 WIDTH="804"><div> This almost brought the food garden project to a standstill, but since MUCPP wished to expand their food garden, rather than bringing it to a stop, alternative land and facilities were a very high priority.  </div> <div> In a partnership agreement between the MUCPP, the Department of Agriculture of the Free State Province, the City Council of Bloemfontein and the University of the Free State (Centre for Agricultural Management), sites close to Mangaung were identified for agricultural expansion purposes.</div> <div> The Sunnyside farm close to Mangaung, which consisted of of 80 ha unused agricultural land and five final phase sewage dams (18,75 ha in total) situated at the southern banks of Bloemspruit close to the Dewetsdorp/Thaba Nchu road junction, was presented to the community of Mangaung/Etsa Phapang on 17 July 1996 by the City Council of Bloemfontein to be considered for peri-urban agricultural development.  </div> <div> Since sufficient water quantities are available from close-by purification dams, members and extinction officers made various agricultural suggestions for aquaculture, vegetable and fruit production projects.  After lengthy discussions and negotiations with members of the Mangaung community, the beneficiaries and owners, the integrated peri-urban agricultural development project was approved.  </div> <div> That was followed up by even more lengthy negotiations for funding from various sources.</div> <div> A draft document of the integrated urban agricultural concept was submitted to the MEC for Agriculture in the Free State on 26 September 1996.  The concept was in principle approved by the MEC, after which a business plan of the project was presented to him on 4 April 1997. The business plan and a letter of approval from the MEC were then submitted to the Mangaung TLC for approval. The TLC approved the project and allocated the land for the premise free of cost for the initial period of 10 years.  Thereafter the beneficiaries of the different projects will have the first option to rent the site afterwards.</div> <div> Etsa Phapang (which means <I>“to make a difference”</I>) is close to the local fresh produce market which will also be of benefit to the beneficiaries. </div> <div> Development of the Etsa Phapang project actually commenced in January 2000 with funding provided by AVCASA, BEST-GTZ, BP South Africa, Winzlock in Australia, the WK Kellogg Foundation, Eskom and other sponsors of MUCPP.  Proper ablution facilities, containers and temporary accommodation facilities were provided by MUCPP and AVCASA.  Electricity, municipal water and ablution facilities were installed in January 2000 and the site was fenced in February 2000.  The 16 beneficiaries and owners erected most of the facilities themselves. </div> <div> The first seven hydroponic structures (7×90 m2) were provided by means of donor funds.  Production of lettuce and spinach commenced during March 2000.  The first lettuce crops were sold in May 2000 and spinach has since been marketed to the Mangaung community by the beneficiaries. Another six hydroponic structures (6×300 m2) were erected since September 2000 and these units also came into production in 2001. Spinach, <I>Amaranthus</I> cultivars, tomatoes, cucumbers, baby beans, baby marrows and paprika are produced in the hydroponic structures, using ordinary food gardening and hydroponics technology skills.  </div> <div> However, any timely and high quality and quantity production of vegetables depends on the following essential requirements: water, minerals, light, air, disease and pest control, stability, organisation and management. </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 355 WIDTH="363"><div> The hydroponic unit also served for the training of extension officers in agriculture and farmers interested in hydroponic production of vegetables.  A clear control and management system was set up to run the business.</div> <div> The beneficiaries were selected by a committee consisting of three members from the Mangaung community, two members from MUCPP, one from the Department of Agriculture: Free State Province and Mr Mokoena, who is the agricultural coordinator of the project. The beneficiaries were trained by professional agriculturalists and marketers in the proper management of hydroponics production and marketing of products. The members were trained in the most basic skills in manual irrigation and nutrition of lettuce and spinach production.  </div> <div> Since these facilities were insufficient to supply in the financial needs of all members, vegetables were produced outside in ordinary food gardens to feed and partially support the members financially.  </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="67c9d130.jpg" border=0 width="413" height="275" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 71 WIDTH="804"><div> A holistic strategic approach to marketing the success of the vegetable hydroponic system were applied.  Training in marketing management with appropriated skills attained, is crucial for the sustainability of vegetable marketing.  The involvement of undergraduate students in Agricultural Management in the transfer of the basics in marketing during the first year led to more advanced knowledge and skills. This is the appropriate manner to educate emerging farmers.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 71 WIDTH="804"><div> The Etsa Phapang peri-urban agricultural development project was born out of the idea from the community members who felt that there was a need to train community people about community gardens and those people will then go to their respective homes to plant vegetables in their backyards to feed their families.  It originated as a food security project targeting unemployed women.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 35 WIDTH="804"><div> This Etsa Phapang site has now been divided into two sections:  the hydroponic and traditional vegetable gardens which now belongs to the former beneficiaries, and the training site which is still managed by the MUCPP.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 530 ><NOBR><div> An agricultural training site was erected with funds received from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="67fc9fd0.jpg" border=0 width="713" height="509" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 53 WIDTH="804"><div> And now, almost ten years after the establishment of the first food garden at MUCPP, the Centre for Agricultural Management has finally finalised the production of a training video: GROWING VEGETABLES: A COMPREHENSIVE ON HOW TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN AND MANAGE A VEGETABLE GARDEN.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> The following three secondary schools in the Mangaung community have already received training:</div> <div> Altogether 64 school children engaged in the training programme.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 325 WIDTH="363"><bR> <div> Atlehang<IMG SRC="6827d1e0.jpg" border=0 width="381" height="286" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <div> Ikaelelo</div> <div> <IMG SRC="6847f1f0.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="287" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 471 ><NOBR><div> Moemedi</div> <div> <IMG SRC="68658c20.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="450" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="363"><div>        <A HREF="vegetables.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Growing Vegetables: Training course"><U>Back to Growing Vegetables</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="436"><div>                 <A HREF="http://www.mucpp.co.za" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mucpp.co.za"><U>More about </U></A><A HREF="http://www.mucpp.co.za" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mucpp.co.za"><U>the MUCPP</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>