The main aim of the GreenHouse Project, an environmental NGO which is busy establishing the GreenHouse People’s Environmental Centre (GHPEC) in the inner-city of Johannesburg, is to demonstrate viable people- and planet-friendly alternatives to urban living. Demonstration and education related to food production, and growing of other useful plants such as herbs and indigenous healing plants, is fundamental to work of the GreenHouse Project. The GHPEC aims to challenge perceptions by demonstrating that it is possible to:

The majority of people living in the vicinity of the our Centre (in Joubert Park, Hillbrow and Berea) are poor, unemployed and struggle to make a living. In addition to little variety in food and poor quality of food, many people in the area do not have the money to buy the food they need. These factors result in poor nutrition and ill health as a consequence. Furthermore there is a direct connection between good nutrition and a healthy immune system. The health of people suffering from HIV/Aids rapidly deteriorates without access to healthy food.

 

A large percentage of South Africa’s population now lives in cities. People keep migrating in the hope that these cities will offer a better living than their rural homes where living off the land is becoming increasingly difficult. Everywhere we see signs of barren soil, erosion, deforestation and pollution. Often this has been a result of poor and unsupported farming practice and is an inevitable consequence of intensive monoculture relying on chemical fertilizers and pest management.  Urban dwellers find that food is expensive, has been transported a long distance (often in refrigerated trucks), and is often not even ripe. Yet the increasing urban population still relies on a rural hinterland for food.

 

Given this scenario, we believe it makes sense for urban dwellers to grow food wherever possible.   In Johannesburg very few people are able to, despite the fact that many have come from a farming background. Growing food is not seen as an appropriate activity for someone living in the city. In addition many people link ‘agriculture’ to having land, and therefore can’t relate to farming in the city.  Land is scarce in high rise areas such as Joubert Park, and growing food can prove near impossible given the lack of suitable information and support for urban agriculture.