South Africa: Urban roots: Akhona’s rise from jobless to thriving rooftop farmer
Once jobless and pregnant, Akhona Gxuluwe found her calling in agriculture. She didn’t just find a job — she found purpose in the soil, and today she’s the powerhouse behind one of the biggest rooftop farms in the Western Cape
By Vateka Halile
Food For Mzansi
30th May 2025
Excerpt:
At Handpicked CityFarm, they grow over 9 000 plants on 216 square metres. “We supply restaurants like Mugg & Bean and also sell to Newlands locals,” she says.
At the agripreneur training facility at The Nex in Delft, crops are grown for local residents.
“In June, we’ll launch Ndebe Hydroponics, the first hydroponic farm in Butterworth’s Centane area,” she says. There, they plan to supply both supermarkets and the community.
Across her sites, they grow seasonal vegetables like lettuce, spinach, beetroot, peppers, tomatoes, spring onions, and cucumbers.
Gxuluwe says farming and managing different sites come with their own set of challenges. Pests and diseases have been a nightmare, but because she knew that tunnel farming often involves these issues, they’ve been relying on organic and homemade pesticides, which help a lot and save money.
“We mainly use a chilli and garlic mixture to deal with aphids, and one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda helps reduce powdery mildew,” she says.
For anyone thinking about starting in agriculture, she advises against doing it just for the money. “You’ll be discouraged. If you’re passionate, start – and it’s okay to start small.”
Read the complete article here.
Source: https://cityfarmer.info/south-africa-urban-roots-akhonas-rise-from-jobless-to-thriving-rooftop-farmer/
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