Have you ever imagined growing food on the rooftop of a busy shopping centre and then sending your harvest down to the restaurant two levels down? Zandile Khumalo has. And a simple light-bulb moment solved several common farmer problems for her – all at once.
Khumalo is the CEO of Neighbour Roots – a hydroponic farming business that is growing food on the rooftop of the Morningside Shopping Centre in Sandton.
She also participated in a panel discussion called “Follow the money”, in which she and fellow panellist Lance Quiding surprised farmers with how a little bit of creative thinking can bring equally surprising benefits for entrepreneurial farmers.
Quiding is the founder and CEO of Integrated Aquaculture.
For starters, Khumalo – who had been a conventional farmer before – is shielded from the traditional perils of farming, like flooding and frost. Secondly, she is saving a fortune on transport costs, and thirdly serving somewhat of a captive market.
Quiding’s operation has three integrated facets, producing 800kg of fish each month, 4 tonnes of vegetables per month, as well as the minerals needed to fertigate the crops.
Growing populations and dwindling space
Quiding conceded that not even his innovative farming endeavours were a walk in the park. Far from it, in fact. He spent a good eight years and R20 million getting his business to the point of profitability and able to secure international investment.
But both he and Khumalo spoke to the ideology of growing food for more people, with less space and a world facing climate change, and how it means not only viable business opportunities but also speak to all of the sustainable development goals.
“We’re talking about future farming,” said Quiding, as he explained how these new farming models make food production possible anywhere – even amid a shortage of arable and fertile land. “You cannot proteins in a more intensive way [than my business does]. We’re going to produce three tonnes of meat in less than 1 000m2.
“And this is probably one of the few businesses that can comply with all 17 of the sustainable development goals. It’s unheard of, so it has a massive place in the future.”
Khumalo reminded farmers that possibilities are out there and added that a world of expansion still awaits on shopping centre rooftops across the country.
“Let’s bring better quality food to people where they are. That’s where I see our food system moving. We need much more investment in the hydro space because honestly rooftops are not being utilised by property owners.
“We seek people who can fund this and get these rooftops running and get food closer to the market, especially if we can bring potatoes and vegetables into this food system.”
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