Shoprite Celebrates 300th Community Food Garden with Bredasdorp Sustainability Project

Shoprite Celebrates 300th Community Food Garden with Bredasdorp Sustainability Project. The Shoprite Group has reached a milestone in its community food security programme with the recognition of its 300th community food garden at the Zero Organic Waste to Landfill Project outside Bredasdorp.

Located at the Cape Agulhas Municipality Materials Recovery Facility, the initiative is a partnership between the Cape Agulhas Municipality and the Zero Waste Association of South Africa (ZWASA). The project combines organic waste recycling with food production to support local food security.

The initiative was launched in 2021 to divert biodegradable waste from landfill by converting it into compost. In 2024, it expanded to include vegetable production using the compost created from household organic waste.

According to the project, food waste collected from around 800 local households is sorted and composted before being used to grow vegetables that are sold within the surrounding community. The garden is situated near a large informal settlement, helping improve access to fresh produce.

The site is managed by a team of eight under the supervision of ZWASA farm manager Anine Swart, with approximately 700 square metres currently under cultivation on the five-hectare property.

In addition to producing food, the project hosts monthly workshops where community members receive practical agricultural training. Future plans include establishing a nursery for seedling production and redesigning planting beds to reduce erosion and protect crops from adverse weather conditions.

Shoprite said its community food garden programme has supported local food production across South Africa for more than a decade through agricultural training, mentorship, irrigation systems, farming tools and water-harvesting infrastructure.

Chief Sustainability Officer Sanjeev Raghubir said the achievement marks an important milestone for the retailer’s community investment programme, adding that support for each garden is tailored to local conditions and community needs.

Cape Agulhas Municipal Manager Wessel Rabbets said the project demonstrates how partnerships can transform underutilised land into productive community assets while addressing waste management challenges.

The Bredasdorp initiative highlights the role of collaboration between local government, community organisations and the private sector in promoting sustainable waste management and strengthening local food production.