Startup Story
One of the challenges of modern living is that often residents of sprawling industrial and commercial cities often become detached from where their food comes from and how it is produced. In South Africa, entrepreneur Josephine Katumba, founder of Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions, is reconnecting people with their food and the environment through urban agriculture.
LoA chatted to Josephine this month to learn more about this agriculture company with a difference.
What does your company do?
Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions (BUFS) is an urban agriculture company that transforms underutilized spaces in the city into magnificent urban farms. Our mission is to reconcile humans to their food and environment through urban agriculture. At BUFS we develop innovative and creative urban farming solutions to be implemented where we work, live, play and learn. Through our three pillars of community, health and sustainability we include elements of; design and technology, education on food, nutrition, economics (where our food comes from and at what price), biology (reading food labels and their chemical content), environmental studies (zero waste) in the services we provide.
“Our mission is to reconcile humans to their food and environment through urban agriculture.”
“In 2019 we have been ranked as the world's unhealthiest nation and I believe we have truly lost touch with our food.”
What inspired you to start your company?
The inspiration for me to start BUFS came from two very different situations that I faced. The first one starts a little while back when my family, originally from the DRC in central Africa moved to South Africa in 1994 a few years before I was born. One of the biggest challenges my mother faced when moving here was not being able to find the legumes and vegetables that she was used to eating back home in Congo. This challenge was quickly rectified when she decided to grow a vegetable garden in our backyard. No, I did not grow up in a rural area or small town, quite the opposite actually.
I am a born and bred city girl and lets let's just say we live in an area that favours rose bushes over cabbage leaves. It's funny because to this day we still live in the same home so having a vegetable garden has been such a constant in my life and I would not come to see its importance until a few years ago. On the opposite end of the spectrum came my father’s health scare in 2015 where he was diagnosed with kidney failure on both of his kidneys and not to mention hypertension that he had been suffering from since he was 37 years old. Because my father is an entrepreneur he was not as health conscious as my mother. Both my parent’s lifestyles made me take a step back and think about which narrative is being driven in South Africa and I came to the realization that sadly it was my father’s. In 2019 we have been ranked as the world's unhealthiest nation and I believe we have truly lost touch with our food. All these (and many more) insights led me to start Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions. I want to drive my mother’s narrative in the city. I know this is possible because of the amount of people that I’ve seen inspired to grow their own vegetable gardens and adopt a healthier lifestyles because of her. There is so much potential in urban farming to not only provide healthy, fresh produce but also provide a green infrastructure, assist in combatting food insecurity and also provide economic opportunities.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
What makes BUFS special is its multi-stakeholder collaborative approach. I have quickly come to the realization that the company's mission cannot be accomplished without the help of various stakeholders coming together to push the urban farming agenda. We collaborate with architects, engineers, farmers and nutritionists to develop and deliver the best urban farming solutions to suit every individual client’s needs. Not all urban farms are made equal because there is always a trade-off between social impact, environmental and ecological impact as well as impact on the aesthetic of the city. Furthermore, the spectrum on the technology gradient of urban agriculture runs from low-tech community/household soil-based farms to high-tech, commercial vertical farms and anything in-between. With these insights (and many others) and collaborative approach, we are truly able to provide the best urban farming solutions.
“There is so much potential in urban farming to not only provide healthy, fresh produce but also provide a green infrastructure, assist in combatting food insecurity and also provide economic opportunities.”
Tell us a little about your team
We have a very small team at the moment which consists of myself, Josephine Katumba, Mr Sikhona and my Theresa. I am currently completing my final year undergraduate degree in economics and accounting from the University of Johannesburg. Mr Sikhona has close to twenty years’ experience in vegetable gardening and is truly passionate about growing. Theresa is also an avid gardener with over 20 years’ experience. Despite the small team I have advisors such as Dr Naude Malan who is the convener of the multi-stakeholder engagement project Izindaba Zokudla that aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture in a sustainable food system in Soweto and other urban farming experts.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Starting BUFS has been a dream of mine since 2015, in one of my old journals I have a note stating that I would like to own the biggest organic farm in Africa (watch this space). I was finally able to take the leap and begin in the beginning of 2019 where I was privileged to be able to be a part of a program called the youth ideas development. The program which is in partnership with TechnoServe and Citibank provided training to refine my business idea and I then had to present a pitch where I received funding to begin operations in July 2019. I have been surrounded by entrepreneurship all my life as both of my parents are entrepreneurs. Growing up, there was always something I would do as a side hustle to earn extra cash. From selling sweets in primary school to friends (which I'd get into trouble for), to selling African print fabric in high school through Gumtree and Olx, and even starting a tailoring business in University where I make and alter clothing for students. So far BUFS has been challenging to say the least. Selling a service and finding clients in a domain that is a little out of the ordinary in a city like Johannesburg is trying. Perseverance, consistency and constantly going back to the purpose of BUFS is what is keeping me going. If anything, though, my entrepreneurial journey has made me more curious, creative and inquisitive. This leads me to meeting the smartest, most interesting people who have been able to make a change and inspire me to keep forging ahead.
“I have so many plans and aspirations for BUFS due to the fact that we launched not so long ago. The first would be to be able to grow a community of 10000+ urban farmers in the city who are conscious about where their food comes from.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I have so many plans and aspirations for BUFS due to the fact that we launched not so long ago. The first would be to be able to grow a community of 10,000+ urban farmers in the city who are conscious about where their food comes from, the nutrients they have and the long-term effects that their choices have on their bodies and environment. Be it in corporate spaces, schools, apartments buildings or communities. I also know that BUFS is able to influence the policy in the country that includes urban farming as a vital aspect in city planning in as many cities as possible.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
For me it's knowing that at the end of the day the work I'm doing is not in vain. It will have a positive impact on individuals, family, societies and the environment as a whole.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Start now. Start where you are. Start with the fear. Start with the doubt. Start with your hands shaking. Just start. And then, even more importantly, remain consistent.
Contact or follow Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions (BUFS)
WEBSITE | EMAIL josephine@bufs.co.za
Why LoA loves it….
It is wonderful to see a new generation of impact driven, innovative, young women entrepreneurs who aspire to make a difference to the world and to society through the businesses they build. In the case of Josephine Katumba, her passion for urban agriculture has seen her create an agribusiness that has great growth potential and the ability to transform lives on so many levels. That passion is set to take her on an entrepreneurial journey with so many possibilities to effect real change. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa