Food security plays an important role in any country's social and economic development, and Namibia is no exception.

A Groot |Aub resident is contributing by having quit her day job to start a gardening project to provide for her family while also catering fresh produce to residents in and around Windhoek.

Loide Titus is a small-scale commercial farmer who started off with a few spinach plantations two years ago.

At first, it was a way of providing fresh fruit and vegetables for her family, but it turned out there was a demand, which led to her selling her produce to residents of Groot |Aub and beyond.

But Titus, a single mother of five children, did not always have green fingers.

"Initially, I was a guard at Zoo Park before I became a taxi driver. I saved up to buy a bus that I used as a shuttle between Luderitz and Windhoek, but it became exhausting. My friend referred me to Groot |Aub, where I got the opportunity to buy this piece of land at Nauaspoort. I decided to use it for agricultural purposes. Last year, I harvested watermelons, beans, maize, and much more. This year, I was assisted by a neighbor who gave me water, and I started selling chicken eggs and chicks."

She is farming on this five-hectare piece of land at Nauaspoort, which is located about 12 kilometers from Groot Aub, and as her business grows, so does the demand for more tools and resources.

"If you want to start a garden, you need a proper fence to protect your products from animals, more seeds for different plants, and tools like wheelbarrows and netting. A farming project is good for Namibia because we usually get most of our fruits and vegetables from outside the country. The soil here is very good for potatoes and cabbages, and we still import all these from South Africa. I am able to make a profit and buy maize meal with the little I make instead of sitting at home doing nothing. I have a need to recruit more people who need jobs."

A project like this requires patience and hard work to prosper, and Titus is looking forward to employing more people in the near future.