Umgibe farming project was started by Nonhlanhla Joye, known as Ma'Joy who was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and was not able to provide for her family. however she has a long family history of farming. She began farming regulary but chickenbs ate all her seeds, devestated she thugh of a solution,She innovated a growing system that enabled her to grow vegetables using diversified plastic bags from going to the landfills as growing bags. It recycled old plastics, saved water and grew crops speedily. Ma'Joye began teaching the community and even schools her innovative invention
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
Seeds for sowing, old plastic bags, semi structure to carry the plastics, water and sand; mainly natural resources and a understanding of farming
The challenges
Unemployment, food scarcity, food security and recycling
Addressing the challenges
Umgibe Farming Organics is a small-scale agricultural development enterprise that aims to build and support thriving agricultural cooperatives of smallholder and women farmers, that are able to produce and sell sustainable quality agricultural products, by providing individuals with access to the Umgibe Farming System, Umgibe Co-Operative Network, Agricultural Production and Processing; as well channels and access to market. Our impact is experience by the over 40 co-operatives in our network and the thousands of people trained in our programme. We also provide sustainable employment to our support partners. We take great pride in educating young and old on the benefits of organic farming
The achievements
2017 SABF Social Innovation Development Award Winner 2017 WIA Award (Women In Africa, Morroco 2017 SAG –SEED Award Winner (https://www.seed.uno/awards/all/2017/umgibe-frugal-waterwise-growing-system.html) 2017 Top Entrepreneur Processing Sector Award -Agriculture & Rural Development (KZN Povince) 2017 Marie Claire Future Shaper Awards (SA) 2017 Hivos Most Impactful Business Award Winner on Food Security – Harare, Zimbabwe 2017 Ecologic-Eco -Community Gold Award Winner – Pretoria, South Africa 2017 Ecologic – Eco-Angel Gold Award Winner – Pretoria, South Africa 2017 IMPACT2 Global Female Entrepreneur of The Year Award– (Paris, France) 2017 ELLE Magazine IMPACT 2 Award Winner (SA winner) 2016 Durban Business Fair Rural and Township Based Business Award 2016 KZN DARD Female Entrepreneur 1st Runner -Up Provincial Level
Token Project / Move One Million
Johannesburg, South Africa