Living Soils Programme Trains Emerging Women Farmers In Regenerative Methods And Boosts Local Food Security

WW Living Soils Gauteng 2026 Interns.

The Gauteng expansion builds on the success of Woolworths’ Living Soils Community Learning Farm (Living Soils), started seven years ago in Stellenbosch – a partnership with Spier and the Sustainability Institute.

Living Soils provides young emerging farmers, particularly women, with hands-on training in regenerative farming methods, preparing them for careers as agripreneurs and in farm management.

Beyond skills development, Living Soils also supports local food security by donating a large portion of its harvest to surrounding communities.

According to Statistics South Africa’s 2026 first quarter employment data, young people aged 15-24 faced the highest unemployment rate at 60.9%, followed by those aged 25-34 at 40.6%, making programmes like Living Soils even more important.

WW Living Soils Women interns. Image supplied

For Mandla Ntshane, now a production manager at Wasi Berries in Hoedspruit, the Living Soils internship in Stellenbosch served as the bedrock for his career.

“As my internship at Living Soils Community Learning Farm was coming to an end, Woolworths hosted a Farmers Day event where students had the opportunity to engage with different farmers. Shortly after the event, I was invited to interview for a Junior Manager role and within a week, I had secured the opportunity,” Ntshane said.

At the new Gauteng site, 17 interns have been enrolled, 10 of whom are young Black women. Together with the Stellenbosch intake, there are currently 37 interns enrolled in the Living Soils programme, up from 20 last year.

Joy Lange, GM of Woolworths’ Community Inclusive Justice Institute, which houses the Living Soils initiative, says: “The expansion of Living Soils to Gauteng represents an important milestone for the programme. Our objective has always been to create a replicable model that strengthens community food systems across South Africa, while equipping young farmers, particularly women, with practical skills in regenerative agriculture.”

Woolworths’ Farming for the Future

Lange went on to say that the learning farm aligns closely with Woolworths’ Farming for the Future programme, a regenerative, sustainability initiative focused on soil health, biodiversity, resource conservation and sustainable land management.

“We are delighted that one of our long-standing suppliers of fresh and packaged salads and vegetables, HarvestFresh, have joined us as a partner in the next phase of Living Soils. Their commitment to fresh, responsible food production, soil health and traceable supply chains has made them one of our top-performing Farming for the Future suppliers. They understand the importance of investing in future farmers to strengthen South Africa’s agricultural sector and contribute to long-term food security.”

HarvestFresh has allocated three hectares of land on its Meyerton farm for Living Soils.

The 12-month integrated Living Soils programme is designed to provide both technical competence and exposure to the end-to-end fresh produce value chain – from farm production and food safety management to traceability, quality assurance, distribution, and retail.

The programme combines classroom-based learning, personal development, leadership training and field-based farming experience. Over the course of the year, students will gain exposure to HarvestFresh’s facilities, including its commercial nursery, hydroponic operations, packhouse facilities, and its high-care facility that processes and packs Woolworths salad and diced vegetable products.

George Maxted, MD at HarvestFresh, says the partnership with Woolworths’ Living Soils reflects a shared passion for quality and sustainability, and a belief that sustainable agriculture must invest in people as much as it does in the land.

“We are proud to support a programme that combines regenerative farming techniques, technical excellence and real employment pathways for young South Africans, while meaningfully contributing to more resilient communities that ultimately strengthen South Africa’s food system.”