Six community food gardens strengthening food security and supporting local food systems across South Africa have been recognised in Shoprite’s inaugural Act For Change Food Garden Competition. ACFS Khunadi Food Garden in Mogoto Village, Limpopo, took first place, followed by Ngxanga School Garden in Libode, Eastern Cape and P Agricultural Group in Soweto, Gauteng. The winners were announced on Tuesday 10 March 2026, at an awards ceremony in Cape Town.
“Winning first place in the Shoprite Act For Change Food Garden Competition is a huge encouragement for our team,” says Bertha Magoge from ACFS Khunadi Food Garden. “This support will help us strengthen our garden, continue providing fresh vegetables to our community and expand the skills and opportunities we can share with women and young people in Mogoto Village.”
The competition, launched in October last year, drew nearly 600 entries from across the country. “The strong response to the competition showed just how much dedicated work is happening in communities across South Africa,” says Sanjeev Raghubir, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Shoprite Group.
Following a multi-stage, rigorous judging process, six gardens were selected. “The winning project stood out for its strong representation of women in leadership and decision-making roles, supported by meaningful participation from youth and women across the wider team. All six are recognised for their consistent food production, strong management and measurable impact on their communities,” adds Raghubir. “They demonstrate the diversity of food-growing efforts – from rural villages and townships to schools and next-generation led projects – and it is anticipated that this prize-winning support will help them take their work to the next level.”
The six winning gardens are:
First place: ACFS Khunadi Food Garden – Mogoto Village, Limpopo
Providing fresh vegetables to local feeding programmes, this project equips women and young people with practical agricultural skills through small-scale farming training. Around 50 people benefit directly each month. The garden also builds long-term food production in the community.
Second place: Ngxanga School Garden – Libode, Eastern CapeCombining food production with hands-on experience, the garden gives learners the opportunity to grow vegetables such as tomatoes and spinach while gaining knowledge about food and agriculture. Each month it supports 243 students and five households through agroecology training, affordable seedlings and food donations.
Third place: P Agricultural Group – Soweto, Gauteng
Based in Tladi, this garden began as an informal project in 2018 and has since developed into a structured food production space that hosts farmers’ markets and agricultural training. Each Christmas, vegetables are shared with more than 150 families. The project also encourages young people to view farming as a leadership and livelihood opportunity.
Fourth place: Hope Park Children’s Health Campus Garden – Krugersdorp, Gauteng
Established in 2018 in Munsieville, the garden promotes food security in the childhood community of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. More than 350 learners from four nearby schools receive fresh vegetables, while 27 households benefit each month. Organic and water-wise growing practices are used while families are encouraged to cultivate their own food.
Fifth place: Food Security Project – Gonubie, Eastern Cape
Serving the Mzamomhle community, the project supports 162 women who manage their own garden plots. It provides seedlings, tools, and training in organic farming, water conservation and recycling. Harvests feed the women involved, while surplus produce generates income for the project.
Sixth place: Plenty Green Africa – Tsakane, Gauteng
Plenty Green Africa is a youth-led garden serving about 20 households, including women, young people, and local chefs. Participants harvest the crops they plant themselves while developing practical agricultural skills. The garden also transforms underused urban spaces into productive growing areas while addressing youth unemployment.
The six winning gardens will receive tailored support valued at a total of R1 million, with first place awarded R225 000, second place R200 000 and third place R170 000. Fourth, fifth and sixth place recipients will receive R150 000, R130 000 and R120 000 respectively.
Together, these gardens produced over 106 000kg of fresh produce in 2025. But they do more than put affordable food on the table – they also help people develop agricultural skills and earn an income by selling surplus produce. “Through the Act for Change Food Garden Project, we are reinforcing our long-term commitment to sustainable interventions that help communities thrive and we look forward to continuing to support more gardens in future competitions,” concludes Raghubir.
Genie Vittu
Soweto Sunrise News
