Professor Bibi Z Chummun of the UKZN Graduate School of Business and Leadership (GSB&L) presented a paper co-authored with her student Ms Balance Phala, entitled Evaluating Factors that Influence Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Kwa-Mashu, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal at the 2023 International Business Conference in Swakopmund, Namibia.

The paper revealed that despite eThekwini Municipality’s continued support for agricultural projects in Kwa-Mashu to overcome challenges such as food insecurity and poverty, these projects are not self-sustaining. This area was selected as it is the site of food gardens that are supported by Newlands Agroecology.

The research on which the paper is based found that urban agriculture is predominantly practiced by women between the ages of 36 and 60, with 63% of respondents being unemployed. Key challenges identified include land availability, insufficient water for irrigation, a lack of economic knowledge, and the lack of a market for the produce. The paper concluded that sustainable food production without any link to socio-economic empowerment and environmental protection is unsustainable.

Given that sustainable agriculture contributes to food security, improves livelihoods, and has direct economic benefits, it is recommended that farmers in Kwa-Mashu need to receive training in urban agriculture in order to promote socio-economic development while avoiding undesirable environmental impacts. The authors also recommend that the municipality strengthens its role in supporting Kwa-Mashu farmers and note that collaboration with external partners could be helpful in this regard.