The Indie Green Network

The Indie Green Network


Tapping into the Green Economy and using indigenous produce to empower women as urban farmers; thereby making them nodes of development in our communities. We wish to reclaim the power of women as the backbone of society that was lost due to the dismantling of the family and community structure by colonialism and Apartheid. Women were the farmers, the builders and child bearers. We were the very glue that held our society together. Our strength and value was appreciated. Agency and power needs to be returned into the hands of women so that they may not be as vulnerable as they are due to having to be dependent on a spouse; especially in urban environments where this happens all too often. Returning independence and power to women is wisdom that recognizes that when you uplift women, you uplift whole communities.

This network would utilize group economics and a cluster business model to generate wealth and security for women from peri-urban and urban areas. By empowering them, they would be the nodes of development in their communities and inspire a healthier and greener society.


It all starts with asking how?

How do we create independent citizens who are secure in their future?
How do we create greener economies and sustainable solutions?
How do we develop communities and uplift people on a large scale?


Indie:

Indigenous: Women from various peri-urban and urban areas would be selected to be part of the network. They would be empowered with the tools and resources to grow indigenous crops to fulfill their daily food requirements and their surplus would be used as raw materials for the IGN Foodtruck (The Pickle Jar) and other food outlets. Besides fresh produce being cooked at the Pickle Jar into amazing and nutritious meals, there would be unique artisinal food products made.

Independence: They would then have food and financial security. How much they could make from being food suppliers is only limited by their imagination. This would also allow them the opportunity to improve theirs and their family’s living conditions.


Green:

Because local is always lekker, the creation of a network of urban farmers would create greener and healthier communities. There would be a reduction of their own carbon footprint and that of the local food outlets that they would supply. Using agribusiness to create truly sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions

Homegrown produce places power back in the hands of the producer and the consumer. The producer is able to feed themselves and their community and the consumer knows that what they purchase is ethically sourced.


Network:

As nodes of development within their communities, these women would teach their neighbours to be growers too. As the demand for their produce grows, the extra growers would also be provided with economic opportunities and be able to also improve their own living conditions.

Using a cluster business model, mass production is taken back to the scale of the individual. They don’t cease to become people and become just numbers or cogs in a large machine. Their individual integrity is retained and they are recognized and appreciated as important stakeholders in the business. They are not just employees, but members of a community creating wealth for itself.


Budget:

To start off with, we shall be working with 18 women:

Hand urban farming and tools and raw material and information resources: R124 000

Compostable product packaging (to later be developed to be impregnated with indigenous crop seeds to encourage consumers growing food at home and becoming part of network), transportation and marketing: R30 000

Food Truck purchase and Refurbishment: R290 000

Trading Permit and Insurance: R3000

Soft Furnishings: R48 000

Storage: R40 000

Wages: R15 000

Total Capital: R550 000

All materials to ethically and locally sourced in order to keep carbon footprint as low as possible

All natural is our game. No artificial or GMO ingredients

All our waste will be recycled

Extra Assistance other than monetary:

Business network connections
Product Sponsorship
Skills sharing