As South African households move from the festive season into the financial reality of a new year, many families are feeling the weight of rising costs.
January often arrives with school fees, transport expenses and food bills landing all at once, stretching already tight budgets. In this moment of transition, community food gardens are once again playing a quiet but vital role, helping families put food on the table while offering stability, skills and shared support.
Across the country, these gardens are doing more than growing vegetables, as they are becoming community anchors, where cooperation, learning and care intersect.
From rural KwaZulu-Natal to peri-urban farming hubs, gardens are helping households navigate one of the most financially demanding months of the year.
At the heart of this effort is the family-run Siyazondla kwaPhindangene cooperative in Ulundi. Established in June 2019, the garden has built its work around a simple principle; grow enough to sustain livelihoods, then share what remains.
While the cooperative sells fresh, organic produce to generate income, surplus vegetables are routinely distributed to employees, their families and nearby community members in need.
As the new year places added pressure on vulnerable households, Siyazondla is increasing its support while continuing to create long-term employment for women, young people and persons with disabilities.
The cooperative’s work blends food production with economic inclusion, making it both a safety net and a source of opportunity.
‘As we look ahead to 2026, our hope is for Siyazondla KwaPhindangene to grow into an agrihub that supports not only our cooperative, but local farmers and families around us,’ says Indlunkulu MaMohale Buthelez of Siyazondla KwaPhindangene.
‘At the start of the year, when many households feel the pressure most, our garden is a place of sharing, from providing seedlings and helping with ploughing, to giving surplus vegetables to those who need them.’
She adds that upcoming harvests are already being anticipated within the community.
‘Our potatoes will be ready early in the year and they’re a favourite in our community, whether as potato salad, roast potatoes or chips. These simple meals, grown from our own soil, help families begin the year with food on the table and hope for what lies ahead.’
Efforts like Siyazondla have gained national recognition through the Shoprite Act For Change Food Garden Competition, launched in October last year.
The initiative celebrates community gardens that strengthen nutrition, sustainability and upliftment at grassroots level, with collective prizes of R1 million tailored to the needs of participating gardens.
Siyazondla is one of hundreds of entries from across South Africa, as the competition moves into its next phase of highlighting gardens that are making tangible differences in their neighbourhoods.
Further south in uMbumbulu, the Kunothile Agricultural Primary Co-operative is also using food production as a tool for support.
After selling produce to sustain members’ livelihoods, the cooperative consistently sets aside surplus vegetables for local households and school feeding programmes, a contribution that becomes particularly important during school holidays when regular meals fall away.
As the year begins, this support helps families stretch limited resources through a financially demanding month, ensuring children and elderly residents have access to nutritious food.
Kunothile’s impact extends beyond immediate food relief, as members actively share growing knowledge with young people, encouraging small home gardens and practical self-sufficiency. This transfer of skills helps ensure that food security is not limited to one season or one project.
‘As the new year begins, we focus on helping families and older community members plan their home gardens, sharing leftover seeds so they can start planting again,’ says Nqobile Mbonambi of Kunothile Farmers’ Co-operative.
‘We also open our garden to young people, offering free lessons and practical skills, and no one leaves empty-handed.’
Picture: Supplied
According to Shoprite Group Chief Sustainability Officer Sanjeev Raghubir, the importance of food access becomes more pronounced at this time of year.
‘Food is a key household consideration. At the start of the year, post-festive spending and back-to-school costs increase financial pressure, making access to affordable food more significant,’ he says.
‘Our community food gardens are not just growing vegetables, they are growing dignity, resilience and community spirit. Projects like Siyazondla and Kunothile show how ongoing support can help families navigate a challenging month, ensuring food security and a strong start to the year.’
As economic pressures persist, community food gardens are proving to be reliable sources of relief and resilience. Many participants in this year’s competition generate income for their members while also serving as informal safety nets for neighbours who might otherwise go without.
Just as importantly, the skills passed on, from soil preparation to water-wise growing, help sustain food knowledge across generations.
‘As we embark on a new year, the Act For Change Food Garden Competition celebrates the growers whose hands bring nourishment, stability and kindness to their communities,’ says Raghubir.
‘Their gardens remind us that when people plant together, they flourish together.’
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