Alex Rose-Innes
When in 2019, South Africa was ranked by global scientists as the second unhealthiest nation in the world, Josephine Katumba realised it was time to reconnect city dwellers with their food and its source through urban agriculture.
Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions came into being as the South African palate continued to feast on fattening and unhealthy foods. By turning unused city areas into urban farms, Josephine decided to change the collective mind-set with nutritional education and at the same time, take care of the environmental.
Focusing on local communities, health and sustainable alternatives, Baikuda’s aim was also to teach proper nutritional values and ways of not adding to the country’s annual 108 million tonnes of waste. Ninety per cent of this ends up in landfills with only 10% being recycled. According to the World Bank more than two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually is globally generated each year, which translates to between 0.11 and 4.54 kilograms per person per day.
Josephine’s family moved from the Central Republic of the Congo (CRC) to South Africa when the late Nelson Mandela was released. Even as a young girl, this agricultural entrepreneur realised that the fruit and vegetables the family had been used to in the DRC, was difficult to obtain in their new homeland. A backyard garden was started despite the fact that the Katumbas lived in an urban sprawl and did not have arable land as in rural areas.
Under the aegis of Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions, Josephine and her two staff members embarked on a drive to change the way urban dwellers think about food and to adopt healthier eating habits amid a busy lifestyle. As the organisation grew, many came to adopt her vision for a greener infrastructure. At the same time, people realised that healthier living brought many economic opportunities and combatted food insecurity.
Collaborating with engineers, architects, farmers and nutritionists, the best urban farming practices were developed taking into consideration the technology gradient of urban agriculture. With a degree in economics and accounting, Josephine values the input of various stakeholders who have brought years of experience to her venture.
Among those Josephine credits for her success is Dr Naudé Malan who convenes a multi-stakeholder project, Izindaba Zokudla, which creates urban agri opportunities and a sustainable food system in Soweto on the outskirts of Johannesburg in SA.
Josephine’s future goals include owning the biggest organic farm in Africa and there is no doubt that she would achieve her dream, coming from a strong entrepreneurial family. She is also part of a youth development ideas programme in partnership with Citibank and TechnoServe which arranged funding for her enterprise, but also provide training to similar minded entrepreneurs.
While still at school, Josephine sold whatever she could, (calling it a side hustle), to friends and later on Gumtree and other social vending platforms. But, she is the first to concede that finding her niche in this different market needed perseverance and consistency and continually returning to the initial purpose of Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions – to create a healthier nation and make a lasting change.
