By Nangamso Mabindla
11 May 2007

ORGANIC farming was the buzz word in Mdantsane when Buffalo City hosted the annual Mdantsane Urban Agriculture competition awards ceremony on Wednesday, 9 May.

The competition aims to encourage farmers in the impoverished township to choose organic farming. It was sponsored by the City's local economic development department and a local farming corporation, Umthiza, and was supported by the Department of Agriculture.

Under the programme, the farmers were trained in successful organic farming by consultants Earth Innovations. Speaking at the awards ceremony, the consultants' Frans van Aardt said organic farming was one of the safest farming methods.

"With many people using chemicals in farming, organic farming aims to encourage emerging farmers to practise organic farming. We use manure, compost and fertilisers to ensure that the soil is not spoiled by chemicals."

Van Aardt also encouraged people to use fork spades and rakes to cultivate the soil as other tools were harmful to some creatures that live in the soil. "Some of the tools kill earthworms, which play an important role in the fertilisation of the soil and thus make it more productive."

He encouraged people in Mdantsane to turn to organic farming and follow in the footsteps of other local co-operatives, such as Makukhanye, Simanyene, Liyema and Vukani.

Partnerships between farmers, co-operatives and the different government departments were also encouraged.

The general manager of the local economic development department, Noludwe Ncokazi, encouraged the people of Mdantsane to start their own vegetable gardens. "Food and agriculture continue to be very important in the efforts to boost the province's economy. We just need to know how we are going to make agriculture work for us; it does not matter what methods we use - whether new or old."

She encouraged residents to think beyond trading with their neighbours. "Your ideas should go beyond your immediate neighbours; you need to think about exporting agricultural products."

Local farmers and co-operatives were also encouraged to improve their knowledge and be part of the government's Agric Black Economic Empowerment initiative.

Then, getting down to serious business, Ncokazi and councillor Willem Kruger announced the winners of this year's Mdantsane Urban Agriculture competition. The R10 000 grand prize went to the Liyema Development Co-operative.