Cape Town - Redefined Properties unveiled the first retail urban rooftop farm in the Western Cape on top of the Kenilworth Centre.
The agricultural project is developed in partnership with Mr Price Foundation’s HandPicked programme, Fresh Life Produce and SA Urban Food & Farming Trust/Oranjezicht City Farm.
It is structured so Redefined Properties will donate space to Mr Price Foundation’s HandPicked programme, with income generated by the farm used to fund the project.
The project creates community-based informal economic opportunities for unemployed youth and promotes local food security.
This project aims to empower youth on how to develop an agricultural business in an urban environment. Two unemployed youngsters from Langa township will be upskilled each month. The 24 will be provided with the resources to set up and run their own productive entrepreneurial farm in their backyards.
iChilli le Langa will use the off-take on certain crops such as chillies in the production of its sauce range, creating an opportunity for the home growers to generate revenue and move from consumers to producers.
Redefine also plans to donate fresh produce to two or three local NGOs each month, a minimum of 10 a year.
Among those who attended the launch was mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who applauded the initiative and congratulated the parties involved.
“I hope to see replicas of projects like this all over the city in months or years ahead. What we want is to build a city of inclusion, and agri-processing is one of the industries that enables economic inclusion,” said Hill-Lewis
Redefined Properties COO Leon Kok said: “Our purpose is to create and manage spaces in a way that changes lives. This rooftop farm is an example of those values in action and will, among other benefits, create employment opportunities through the daily operation of the project.”
