The newly launched Soweto-Caracas Community Centre (SCCC) in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, has a standout feature perched atop its 156m² roof: an innovative urban farm.
This rooftop farm produces nutritious fresh produce under greenhouse, as well as monthly fish harvests from an aquaponic farming system. This double delight is improving community food security and generating consistent income through harvests.
“The Urban Farm initiative addresses food insecurity while supporting economic independence. It empowers residents with fresh, nutritious food and practical skills, fostering a stronger, healthier community,” said Delana Finlayson, managing director of Urban Think Tank Empower (UTTE).
To date, UTTE has built 76 homes, four commercial facilities, one community centre, and a public open space in Khayelitsha, positively impacting over 1 400 individuals and creating 350 jobs in the greater community.
The SCCC is designed to meet the diverse needs of Khayelitsha’s Site C community, with an indoor soccer and netball court, an event hall, co-working offices, community kitchens, bathrooms, an early development centre, and the flagship rooftop farm.
Access to nutritious food is crucial in this community, where approximately 80% of residents experience inconsistent income or unstable employment.
“By providing reliable access to fresh vegetables and fish, the urban farm contributes to better health outcomes, supporting the full community’s long-term development and fostering greater holistic societal wellbeing,” said Delana.
Exploring the urban farm
The rooftop farm incorporates three vertical farming systems and nine grow beds housed under a greenhouse. The vertical farms use two types of soilless growing systems: the nutrient film technique (NFT) and tower systems, providing 144 and 1 344 plant holes respectively.
Plants grown in the vertical farm, such as spinach, lettuce and spring onion, are lightweight and typically harvested at around 200g per plant. Crops like kale and cabbage, which are top-heavy and require more root support, thrive in the grow beds.
“The grow beds are more similar to soil farming as the plants grow in leca (a lightweight expanded clay aggregate). Leca retains water and facilitates the conversion of ammonia (which is toxic to fish) into nitrates (nitrogen-rich plant food),” explained Delana.
Similar to the vertical farm, plants are spaced closer together in the grow bed than in the soil. “This is possible as the leca is continually watered through an ebb and flow feature of the grow beds.”
Aquaponics play a central role, combining fish farming with hydroponic vegetable production. This intensive system uses 12 fish tanks (each holding 1 000 litres water), stocked with 25 to 35 tilapia (freshwater fish) per tank.
The fish provide nutrients to the vegetable plants through their waste, while plants filter and purify the water for the fish. This water-efficient system uses only 10% of the water required for conventional soil farming and eliminates runoff by recirculating water continuously. Water that evaporates is added back into the system.
The aquaponic system is expected to take between six weeks to three months to mature, after which monthly fish harvests are possible.
“Fish are harvested at about 500g. Ideally a rotation system will allow one tank to be harvested each month, although the rotation cycle will be determined by the community workers,” said Delana.
The crop turnaround time on the vertical farm from seedling to harvest is four to six weeks, depending on the weather, season and nutrient availability. Harvests are distributed and sold locally, and any unsold produce will be sold to restaurants in Cape Town.
“We are basically operating a farm right on top of its market. Although initial training and setup costs will take time to recoup, the farm’s long-term sustainability is rooted in its contribution to the local circular economy. By eliminating transportation costs, reusing water continuously and providing fresh produce directly to the market, the farm ensures affordable, fresh produce for the community while reducing its carbon footprint,” said Delana.
Community impact and economic sustainability
The farm will also serve as a training ground for agricultural skills. UTTE envisions employing five permanent workers for the farm, who will undergo training in record-keeping, pest and disease management, administration, and harvesting schedules under the guidance of Lukhanyo Urban Farming. Lukhanyo Urban Farming will provide oversight until the farm is well established.
“The employment of previously unemployed community members will provide an opportunity for them to obtain skills for the future and work their way out of poverty,” said Delana.
The project also encourages the local community to grow seedlings to reduce dependency on external suppliers while creating economic opportunities. Residents can purchase seedlings to start their own small ventures, creating additional entrepreneurial opportunities.
By supplying affordable, fresh produce to the community and promoting sustainable farming practices, the farm not only enhances food security but also serves as a model for resource-efficient urban agriculture, Delana said.
A model for the future
The success of this project is bolstered by a strategic partnership between UTTE and Habitat for Humanity. Together, they are building 67 additional homes in Khayelitsha’s BBT-Vukani community through the “67 Homes for 67 Years” initiative.
“If everyone works together and put their heart and soul into this farm, it can be sustainable for many years to come and it will become a showcase of possibilities in urban farming. UTTE are planning on implementing an urban farm in all its future developments across the Cape Metropole,” said Delana.
