Tim Nectar Farms is an accredited training academy headed by agroecologist Tim Abaa. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
TLocated not far from the Golden Highway, between the barracks and government-subsidized RDP housing that makes up the Orange Farm district, this place is a magical space, home to plants, animals, and people of all ages. This is Tim Nectar Farms, an accredited training academy headed by agroecologist Tim Abaa.
There are no signs. Google Maps will guide you to the entrance, but you won't be able to find it unless you ask the residents. Behind the modest entrance, the facility is packed with amenities but no security. That's because Abba has achieved what he considers most important: people's trust. They consider him a valuable asset.
It didn't happen overnight. Abba has been promoting Orange Farm's urban farming for the past 15 years. The biggest lesson he learned was patience. “Farmers have to be patient: acquire the land, prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water, weed, wait for the harvest, and then hope that what they produce can be sold on the market. You have to look forward to it,” he says.
“The same goes for community members. You have to be patient with them until they get your point across. You have to understand them. They say, 'This is me. What's in it for them and for us?' But when we see young people becoming the best farmers, ensuring food is plentiful and tackling climate change, they realize they are an asset. ”
His passion comes from Egerton University in Nairobi, where he says the practice of urban farming is “huge” and passes on his knowledge at training and educational workshops across South Africa. Primarily, he is an agroecologist and agripreneur at Orange Farm, a small urban farm, and his 3-hectare organic farm in South Orange Farm, where over 350 varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruits are grown. Sharing ship training.
A natural insecticide, marigolds grow among edible plants and herbs. Abba says the idea behind agroecology is to study Mother Nature and try to imitate it. “With the introduction of industrial agriculture, we have lost our natural farming methods. The key is soil health. Healthy soil means healthy plants, animals, communities, and entire ecosystems. ” He promotes farming methods that integrate science and innovation.
Abaa's philosophy is to minimize space, maximize productivity, and do it ourselves.
involve young people
The focus of his training is on helping people free themselves by creating gardens. Avaa calls this G2K: From the Garden to Knowledge. Although he teaches “all people from the age of three to his centenarian”, his mission is to create an interest in agriculture among young people, a desire to become self-sufficient farmers, This is starting to happen. “I’m making farming sexy in a modern way,” he says with a laugh.
The Training Academy is divided into three programs. GTK (for ages 3-18). Agricultural Entrepreneurship (18-40 years). and community gardeners (40+).
Avaa wants young people to become “agricultural entrepreneurs.” Because being a farmer is the same as being a businessman. This requires instilling business ethics and skills such as savings, finance, leadership, and problem-solving. “If you have an idea, such as making juice from spinach, you don't just make it; you have to think about how you're going to market it, who you're going to target, what value you're going to add, who's going to do what in the market. We need to figure out what the production process is.
He says the way to keep young people involved in learning how to grow food is to inspire them, so he must be a role model for them. You like to experience new things, so outdoor trips and agricultural tours are effective for you. They need to believe in the project to stay motivated and are usually excited when they finish training and start growing food. It would be helpful if there was a subsidy.
His food garden has become a kind of paradise. “Young Nyaope addicts come here for herbs and healing,” Abba says. There's also a sign in the garden that says “Welcome to Garden Therapy.” Several young people were wandering through the seed bank jars of heirloom seeds, various plants and animals, and the composting zone. Some were just hanging out and enjoying nature.
Avaa also trains pensioners. Many say they now earn half their income from selling the fresh produce they grow and have saved 50% on their monthly grocery bills.
“We encourage them by giving them seeds, seedlings, compost, gardening tools, free training, and telling them to help their neighbors start their own gardens.” It helps build social cohesion. Growing food and sitting and eating together brings people together.”
Avaa has trained seven staff members and together they pass on skills such as how and when to water, how to create the best soil for growing food, and how to compost food scraps. They will share information about planting seasons, how climate change is impacting agriculture, and how to deal with it. Children will learn which parts of plants are edible, from roots to flowers, the value of growing your own fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and the benefits of eating healthy foods.
there's no one but us
Asked what the biggest obstacle is, Abah said: “Zero funding. Nothing from the government, the private sector, individuals.” This is surprising since he has appeared in the media (including CNN) many times. Dozens of students from Italy, the Netherlands and the United States have come to document his training methods as part of their graduate degrees and research.
In 2019, he was awarded by the Lewis Foundation for installing a sustainable food garden and delivering a two-week permaculture training for the Process, Energy and Environmental Technology Station at the University of Johannesburg and Schneider Electric at Isiboniso Primary School. Awarded the Best Corporate Social Investment Project of the Year. . It's not that he's not on the map.
Everything Avaa makes at Orange Farm is paid for out of pocket. He buys and lives on a piece of land with a food field, but it is filled with thousands of stones that have to be moved. The larger site at Orange Farm South was acquired through an agreement with the City of Johannesburg.
To raise funds, he holds training courses across South Africa, and his crew sells the fresh produce they grow to local people, Joburg restaurants and NGOs that run feeding schemes. However, some of the vegetables are donated to the poor. Crews recently purchased weed eaters to make money mowing grass and providing gardening services in town.
With this funding, they built two training centers that can accommodate 350 learners. One at his home and one near his farm. “This is the kitchen, this is the computer lab, and this classroom has a great view…” Some of the classrooms are already full of students.
“Stop waiting for the government to help you,” Abba says. He has tackled the problem of water scarcity by lightening the load by purchasing a generator and investing in water tanks. The water from the tanks is used in urban farms, and residents also help themselves when the taps run dry. His long-term dream is to buy solar panels.
Avaa is in the process of installing a biogas plant at Orange Farm that will utilize all forms of abundant waste. “Large amounts of waste are generated when making fast food such as kota and chips, but the waste is not valued. It is often dumped in towns. Biogas can be used to generate electricity and is reliable. can compensate for low city electricity.
The biogas plant is expected to be completed in the next three months. Its byproducts are used to make compost, liquid fertilizers, and biopesticides. Avaa intends to use the factory for training purposes and to show people the value of waste and environmental stewardship.
They plan to plant 300 fruit trees to create a food forest by June this year, and also plan to add beehives.
health growth
True to his slogan “Mabadru Abantu” or “Let the people eat”, he believes that people not only eat healthy food, but also acquire knowledge and expertise in the process of food production, thereby We believe in building a comprehensive food sovereignty society.
“People have to claim their place in the value chain of food production, not just passive consumers. When you buy food in a store, you don't know what you're going to get.”
Avaa wants people to start their own urban farms in their own backyards and sell their produce at small market stalls, reducing the distance between where food is produced, sold and consumed. I'm here.
He argues that organic food should not only be affordable to the wealthy. However, it is not well appreciated in town as many people do not understand its value and health benefits. “It is important that householders recognize its importance and communicate it, so young people will stop eating junk food and follow their example.”
“We're not growing food here, we're growing health,” Abba says of his urban garden.
Being a farmer means providing reliable service. “We are members of the Participatory Guarantee System, PGS, which helps consumers ensure that the food we eat is not only organic, reliable and chemical-free, but also healthy. Anyone can come and see how we make our products, grow our food and compost.”
How did the name Tim Nectar Farm come about? “I’m a beekeeper,” Ava says. “But it's also because the nectar is sweet, just like the alternative food systems we work so hard to create. If someone can choose their own path and create their own farm, that's to me That's wonderful.”
This is the second story in a series about urban farming.read the first here.
