On a local level, food security and job creation can be solved with small and micro scale farming. This is promoted by the UN FAO and other development agencies. Equity Pact has founded the Market Garden Development Initiative to address both food security and job creation by initiating the establishment of a comprehensive ecosystem of sustainable small and micro scale farmers.

Through in-depth analysis of many of the market gardening methods that are currently being used by successful market gardeners throughout the world, and our own experience, we have developed the RO*Food Market Garden System. Using the RO*Food Market Garden System, a grower has an ability to profitably produce an abundance of high quality food on an area of less than 1 hectare.

Our research shows that many potential Market Gardeners already have access to suitable agricultural land and urban / peri-urban backyards through owning property, community land (tribal) tenure or the ability to rent agricultural land or backyards. Access to suitable land to establish a RO*Food Market Garden is thus not the primary limiting factor.

Access to working capital and capital to purchase tools, etc. is also a minor limiting factor because vegetable seeds are cheap, and tools can easily be borrowed. Almost all the households in rural and peri-urban areas already have access to suitable tools. Access to suitable water sources and irrigation systems is however a factor that limits the ability of many to become market gardeners.

The key limiting factors that we have identified are lack of knowledge / experience and access to markets. Access to suitable markets is not something many potential Market Gardeners can solve themselves. This is an aspect that we intend to solve with the RO*Food Market Garden System. Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge and experience is also something that is not easily solved.

The learning curve to become a successful RO*Food Market Gardener is rather steep, and this is especially true for novice gardeners that have little or no practical experience. In-field education — internship maybe — does somewhat solve the problem, but it falls short in ‘creating’ independent growers that are proficient & profitable without the guidance of a mentorship program.

We believe that we can cost effectively solve all these limitations with the application of the RO*Food Market Garden System. Firstly, our online education platform (MOOC) and in-field experience / practicals are able to adequately train prospective market gardeners to become successful growers of nutritious food, and they can earn a fair profit from a small market garden.

Secondly, when a market gardener is able to integrate their produce into the bioregional market platform, they are in a way ‘contract growing’ which in effect reduces risks of overproduction and stabilises prices throughout the bioregion, ensuring better margins and long-term profitability for all the growers. Our bioregional market platform is managed by volunteers.

Developing a culture of volunteerism is a core objective of the Rescue Earth System. It is not the contribution of any one individual, but the collective efforts of the whole, that will define our success in saving Earth from Ecosystem Collapse. Volunteers are key to our RO*Food Market Garden strategy because they allow us to substantially increase the impact of funding.

The RO*Food Market Garden System

Most successful market gardeners use no-dig (no-till) methods or they are transitioning to a no-dig (no-till) methods to grow their crops. The RO*Food Market Garden System (MGS) is based on the Intensive Rapid-Cycle (No-Dig) Gardening Method of growing vegetables using super plugs to speed up the cycling of crops in market gardens and small farms.

Many Market Gardens using the RO*Food MGS start off by using the principles of French Intensive Gardening or the Minimum Dig Broadfork Method to till the soil. However, most growers transition to the No-Dig version of the Intensive Rapid-Cycle Method when their soil has enough organic matter and optimal soil life.

Bioregional Co-operative Shareholding

The minimum qualifications that a participant (shareholder) needs to have achieved to become a principal farmer is the Foundation Holistic Design Certificate in Regenerative Food Production & Nature Conservation

Preferred Qualification:

Advanced Holistic Design Certificate in Regenerative Food Production & Nature Conservation

RSD Course Overview

Read more on Regenerative Development