To realise a sustainable food system we need to build the capacities of farmers to farm sustainably. This can be done by building knowledge and capacities to use biological technologies to great effect. Farming biologically also allows a farmer to manufacture inputs herself and this is perhaps the greatest benefit of biological agriculture. It de-links the farmer from expensive input markets and allows the farmer to produce food much more profitably, albeit at slightly lower volumes. A low-external input agricultural strategy also builds relationships between the farmer and local actors who can exchange resources for food. A biological approach also allows a farmer to guarantee the quality and safety of food, as no chemicals are used, and this has immediate health benefits. However, farmers can process local wastes, sell food at below retail price, and create incentives for the exchange of resources for food, and in this sense a biological approach is beneficial, not by virtue of its biological distinctiveness, but by virtue of the beneficial relationships it creates with the local community. However, the biological systems need to deliver value to the farmer and customers, and this can only be done by constructing a very advanced and interlinked system, of production that builds upon biological productivity on the ecosystem. In this editorial I will emphasise the basic technologies that a farmer can construct on their farm to produce at volume whilst building the ecological base of the farm. These technologies all draw on locally available materials and are offered as means to stimulate debate and further practice in implementing these.
Our speakers will build upon these basic technologies, and show us how to farm by primarily using biological inputs. We will quickly see that this offers farmers a comprehensive and viable proposition, and please do take these up and give us feedback on how they performed when you implemented them. These technologies have emerged a few times in the Farmers Lab, and please see the Facebook pages where I discussed these technologies:
An open Letter top Hugs of Hope in Hofmeyr: https://www.facebook.com/notes/izindaba-zokudla-reports/economic-and-social-development-in-south-africas-forgotten-towns-an-open-letter-/649868385753418/
My article on technology for Food for Mzansi:
the key basic technologies any farmer shou8dl;have include the following:
1. All gardens and farms need a beautiful name. Without a name you have no identity and you cannot build up a reputation and value amongst your customers. A name will bring dignity to your farm, to you and to your area. Please see below how important this is!
2. The garden needs to be planned in a way similar to established permaculture design. This will enable the farmer to make most of the locations, siting and local features of the farm or garden. Do good homework on “Permaculture” and “low external input and sustainable agriculture”.
3. The garden needs a substantial amount of space devoted to compost or input production. Jon Jeavons said you need 33% of your farm dedicated to this…. This is future productivity and farmers without this will fail in the second year.
4. A system of waste harvesting needs to be operating and this needs to supply significant volumes of fertiliser. This has to do with the compost heaps but also a lot to do with how the farmer harvests waste from the immediate local area. This can be linked to a loyalty programme and a farmer can harvest waste as she recruits new customers. Give discount on waste and the farmer benefits from greater fertility in the garden. Please see my notes below on social media.
5. The planting needs to be done in a deep trench raised bed or similar technology. The point here is that sufficient fertility needs to be in the ground to make farming productive enough to give the farmer a livelihood.
6. The beds need to be mulched. This is a key sign of a good farmer. Mulching is next years’ topsoil.
7. The beds need some kind of irrigation system, and this could be a simple “one pipe” gravity fed irrigation system or a more complex one. Note that we have developed such in the Lab and please note the need, particularly in a small set-up, to have the dripper pipes in a “circle” to equalise pressure on each hole.
8. Seeds. A farmer needs to know seeds. Do you participate in a seed library? Do you understand what a hybrid seeds is, an open pollinated seed, an heirloom, and a landrace? What is a GMO seed? A good farmer will be on top of this.
9. Liquid Manure. Ordinary compost is great, but liquid manure can do specialised things for a garden. Liquid manure made with brown waste is good as a weed killer and soil conditioner. Liquid manure made with green waste is rich in nitrogen and can speed up composting and fertilise. Liquid manure always needs to be diluted if given to plants directly, and undiluted is very strong and can kill your plants and thus is a good weed killer. Here specialist knowledge is important but these fertilisers are easily researchable.
10.Animals: Worms can further process ordinary compost and this is a product that can be sold at higher price as compost. the worms can also be sold. They bring another layer of processing to the waste system and this brings value. Bees. Bees pollinate and a farmer with many bees may see higher yields of fruit crops. Honey can be sold. Breed insects for your chickens. Use chicken manure for your worms…
11.Tunnels and infrastructure. A tunnel does not have to be an expensive tunnel. Small tunnels can be manufactured with long bendable sticks, PVC electrical conduit pipes, and also with steel rods. Plastic or shade cloth can be added and this could be done at very low cost. Tunnels keep plants a little warmer and also stop birds and rats from eating the produce. Plants do not know how much you spent on the tunnel, they only want to grow!
12.WhatsApp. A good farmer will keep a list of customers on a Whatsapp group and this will be the basis of sales, consumer education, and the waste harvesting strategy. With a beautiful name, everyone will know you and you will sell more.
13.A retail system. Farmers lose lots of value by selling to middlemen. All farmers should consider a retail outlet on their farms, especially if the farm is small and located in a township. The smaller the farm, the more important this is, as it will enable a farmer to sell some or all of her produce at retail price which is the highest price the farmer will be able to receive for her produce. A small retail outlet will also enable a farmer to process and package a bit, and allow sales of other goods as well. Farmers can also establish relationships with local spaza shops, and they could carry the produce of a local farmer. In this case, the beautiful name of the farm will be important, as this will show the customers what value lies in the food. A good farm with a beautiful name will attract customers. If all these technologies are showcased on the farm, it will really look good and the produce will achieve the same status as expensive and packaged store-bought food.
14.Secondary enterprises. A farm can be a farm, a spaza shop, an adult education and nutrition centre, and a waste processor. It will be good to accept food and biological waste from customers, but it might be an even better idea to start a recycling business at the farm, as customers will be bringing biowaste to you, and they might as well bring all plastic and other (paper, metal, batteries, glass, etc) wastes to you. Give then discount on their food and price this right! Find out from local reclaimers how much they earn from selling recyclables and make a deal! This could bring many new customers and bring income from a new secondary stream to your farm.
15.Social media. This is a great way to advertise and to build a reputation as a farmer with high quality produce. A farmer is a leader in her community, as the farmer is the one producing food, and one who accept wastes as inputs, contributing to the health of the township or local area and the health of the people. Advertise this, and make yourself heard!
The above constitutes the minimum any local, township or emerging farmers can do to be productive and capable. We will listen to three experts on not only how to implement this system, but also how to go very far beyond it!
Dear Friends of iZindaba Zokudla Please join us for iZindaba Zokudla’s Virtual Farmers’ Lab on the 11th of June at 13h00 – 14h30 on Facebook!
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