From indoor and rooftop agriculture to hydroponics and aquaponics. In this edition, we chat with Zandile Khumalo, the CEO of Neighbour Roots rooftop hydroponic farm, and Lance Quiding, the founder and CEO of Integrated Aquaculture.
Khumalo begins with an introduction to their business model and how it addresses the difficulties we have as a nation, like climate change and food waste, among other things.
Why are farms adopting these business strategies?
Khumalo states that they make use of underutilised rooftop space across Mzansi by constructing and running commercial-scale smart hydroponics tunnels or greenhouses.
“Our approach is to reduce the issues that face our country or agricultural space, climate change, food waste, and also carbon emissions. And we do this through our model where we farm on these rooftops, and we supply directly into the shopping center. Basically, our market is directly underneath us.”
She explains that they are able to supply fine dining restaurants, retail stores, and supermarkets with their fresh, high-quality produce, highlighting the significance of urban farming in our country’s food system.
“With that we are committed to be able to waver these types of farming principles through our private sectors and also the government, so that we can bring the positive change within our world.”
The episode also features #SoilSista Refilwe Mokgohloa, who operates a hydroponic cucumber farm and tells us more about their family business and how they managed off-grid farming.
Throughout the session, experts discuss;
- Advantages of adopting these agricultural methods; and
- The role of greenhouses in climate change.
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ALSO READ: Farming is the toughest job in the world. Here’s why
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