Eco-farming

Earthrise aims to establish Rustlers Valley Farm as a sustainable, cooperative, commercially-viable high quality, precision farming initiative which will involve elements of communal and commercial large-scale farming, both at Naledi Village and Rustlers Valley Farm respectively, both of which will undergo implementation simultaneously.

The key implementation partners will be the Naledi Village Committee and a team of young expert agriculturalists called Afrigrow,  along with the Seriti Institute – an organisation specialising in community-driven public works projects.

Earthrise’s strategy is to support Naledi Village in pursuing a holistic approach to the development of a sustainable community. With the aim of producing high quality, organic products for local and international markets, we will develop systems to support family kitchen gardens and communal farming efforts in partnership with residents of the area.

 

A herb & vegetable garden, planted and maintained by residents of Naledi Village, keeps Earthrise Mountain Lodge's kitchen stocked up. Photo courtesy Lucie Pagé
A herb & vegetable garden, planted and maintained by residents of Naledi Village, keeps Earthrise Mountain Lodge’s kitchen stocked up. Photo courtesy Lucie Pagé

 

The partnership will also incubate and support small enterprise development for farming maintenance services, a local farmer’s market, transport and distribution networks that will also benefit surrounding villages.

The strategy will result in eco-sustainable communal farming methods leading to skills transfer and training, social entrepreneurship and productivity, and long-term solutions to poverty and inequality.