Cape Town, South Africa

The City of Cape Town, linked closely to national goals, has set the ambitious target of reducing the city’s organic waste disposal to landfill. In their Climate Change Strategy, the city is targeting 100% diversion by 2027 through better waste separation, treatment and utilisation. On the ground, there are smaller-scale projects to reinforce this objective. For example, Cape Town implemented the Langa Organic Waste Diversion and Composting Trial – a two-phased pilot project aimed at meeting provincial directives on diverting organic waste from landfills. During the first phase, the City of Cape Town provided waste containers to informal fruit and vegetable traders and established a logistics network to process the organic waste at the food garden of a local primary school. 

During the second phase, three local residents were employed and trained in composting. Equipped with a pedal-driven bicycle and trailer, the workers collected organic waste from participating local food waste generators two or three times a week and composted it. The compost was, in turn, distributed to local food gardens.

In total, the trial diverted 56.5 tons of organic waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 58.5 tons of carbon dioxide. 

*Image source: City of Cape Town (2019). During phase 1 of the project, [the city] provided waste containers and established a logistics network to process organic waste at the school’s food garden. Urban Waste Management Directorate.

Cape Town actively supports community-led food gardens as part of its efforts to promote sustainable food systems and strengthen local food security. Cape Town’s community gardens adopt two main models: collective gardens and plot gardens. In collective gardens, participants share responsibilities and harvests, working together to maintain a single large garden and empowering residents to grow their own food while fostering a sense of community and collaboration. The city offers detailed resources, such as step-by-step guides, to educate prospective participants on starting and managing gardens. These resources cover crucial aspects like planning, funding, crop selection, and long-term maintenance. The city also plays an active role in building connections between garden groups and organizations that can provide additional resources. Partnerships with NGOs, government bodies, and local businesses enable communities to access funding, training, and gardening materials, such as tools and seeds. 

Through the city’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Entrepreneurship Training Programme, entrepreneurs are provided with educational resources and support for their small-scale farming business. For instance, AgriKey Farming, one of the programme’s beneficiaries, has teamed up with five local schools to cultivate crops on school grounds, working alongside an entrepreneur specializing in vertical farming infrastructure. Through this partnership, 40% of the harvest supports school feeding schemes, while students gain hands-on experience and skills in growing their own food.

The Women and Girls Resilience Program trains participants in disaster first response, including first aid, fire safety, and self-defense, while also addressing long-term resilience topics such as biodiversity, climate change, and food security. High schools in select communities engage in establishing food gardens, supported by starter kits provided by the city, to reinforce lessons on sustainability and resilience.

By empowering women and girls with leadership and career planning skills, the program equips them to make informed choices and promote positive behavior changes within their communities. This initiative supports Cape Town’s food system goals while fostering broader resilience and sustainability. 

The Cape Town Market is an important part of the city’s food system, contributing to food security and supporting local economic growth. The market operates as a distribution hub, serving over 7,600 buyers monthly, including wholesalers, retailers, and informal traders. To address outdated infrastructure and challenges posed by irregular informal trading, the City of Cape Town facilitated a 40-month development agreement and a 30-year lease to refurbish the market. This endeavor included the creation of a dedicated facility with 64 trading stalls, providing a structured space for informal traders while supporting small businesses, emerging farmers, and consumers.

Beyond infrastructure improvements, the market also strengthens food security and reduces food waste by distributing unsold produce to NGOs and providing surplus items as animal feed for small-scale farmers. The city’s approach has addressed infrastructure challenges, unlocked economic opportunities, and strengthened community partnerships, providing a model for sustainable development. 

The Experiential Education Garden (EEG) demonstrates Cape Town’s commitment to fostering environmental awareness. By transforming a previously underutilized space into an integrative garden, the city has created a safe, creative environment where children can reconnect with nature through free play and activities. Next to a multitude of play structures, EEG hosts a permaculture/foraging garden as well as medicinal and edible plants. This initiative supports the development of a future generation of environmentally-conscious citizens and highlights the city’s dedication to optimizing natural and strategic assets for the benefit of its citizens. 

The Potsdam Sustainability Campus is a pioneering “living lab” launched by the City of Cape Town in collaboration with various partners. Designed as a model for citywide adoption, the campus will serve as a hub for innovation and demonstration, directly benefiting local communities while advancing sustainable solutions in areas such as food, construction, energy, and mobility.

In its first five years, the campus will focus on urban agriculture to strengthen resilience and food security. A key initiative is a 1-hectare circular economy demonstration poultry farm, led by ICLEI Africa, which will explore innovative and sustainable poultry farming practices. Additionally, preparations are underway to introduce Black Soldier Fly farming in 2025, further supporting the campus’s commitment to circular waste and water management practices.