As food costs continue to put pressure on household budgets, community food gardens are offering more than fresh produce. Across South Africa, these projects are helping communities access food, develop practical skills and create employment opportunities.
Shoprite is giving these initiatives another opportunity to grow, with entries having just opened on 20 October for the second Act For Change Food Garden Competition. Five winning gardens will share R1 million in tailored support to help them strengthen their operations and increase their impact.
Entries are free and open to eligible community-based food gardens across the country until 15 November 2026. No data costs apply when entering online.
How the competition could help community gardens grow
The competition aims to support gardens that are making a meaningful difference in their communities, looking beyond the amount of food they produce.
According to Shoprite, judges will consider factors such as a garden’s contribution to food security, its operations, the skills it shares and its broader social impact.
Each winning garden will receive support based on its individual needs following an assessment. This could include training, gardening resources and infrastructure to improve production and help the project grow.
Shoprite Group Chief Sustainability Officer Sanjeev Raghubir said community food gardens help make fresh food more accessible while creating opportunities for people to learn new skills and earn an income.
The competition aims to recognise gardens already doing this work and help them further develop their initiatives.
Previous winners are already seeing results
The inaugural competition attracted nearly 600 entries, with winning gardens using their support to improve production, expand growing spaces and create opportunities in their communities.
In Mogoto Village, Limpopo, first-place winner ACFS Khunadi Food Garden has benefited from a shade-net structure to protect its crops.
Bertha Magoge said the competition helped the garden improve its infrastructure and food production, allowing it to reach more people in the community.
In Libode in the Eastern Cape, Ngxanga School Garden has installed an irrigation system, expanded its growing area and increased food production since receiving support.
The garden has also created permanent employment for three young people from the community. Wednesdays are set aside for learners to gain practical experience by working in the garden.
Urban farming and new skills are part of the picture
The competition has also highlighted how food gardens can create opportunities beyond rural communities.
P Agricultural Group in Soweto, which placed third in the inaugural competition, is helping challenge perceptions about agriculture and who can participate in it.
Project manager Phetole Raseropo said people who previously viewed farming as an activity mainly associated with rural areas were beginning to see it as an opportunity to learn, earn an income and get involved.
Other previous winners have also used their support to make practical improvements.
Hope Park Children’s Health Campus Garden in Gauteng has started a second garden, while Plenty Green Africa in Tsakane has redesigned its growing space and applied training in soil health, pest control and seed sowing.
Meanwhile, the Food Security Project in Gonubie in the Eastern Cape is working to restore soil health through wood-chip mulch and improved compost-making methods.
These projects demonstrate the different ways community gardens can use support to improve their operations and share knowledge with the people they serve.
Who can enter the 2026 competition?
The competition is open to eligible community-based food gardens across South Africa.
Entrants must be at least 18 years old and represent a community food garden. Private home gardens, private companies and close corporations are not eligible.
Applications must include a short description of the garden’s history, purpose and role in the community, along with photographs of the garden.
Entries close on 15 November 2026, with the winners expected to be announced before April 2027.
Community gardens can enter for free through the Act For Change Food Garden Competition website, with no data costs applying to online entries.
The competition forms part of Shoprite’s broader support for community food gardens. In July 2026, the retailer reached a milestone of supporting 300 gardens.
For eligible gardens looking to improve food production, develop skills and strengthen their role in their communities, the competition offers an opportunity to secure practical support for their next stage of growth.
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Picture: Haberdoedas / Unsplash
