The Campus: A One Hectare Circular Farm and Learning Hub
Potsdam One Hectare Circular Farm. A ‘One hectare circular economy farm and learning hub’ where different circular and food systems approaches are piloted.



Years active:
2024 - 2026
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Project summary
The Campus: A One Hectare Circular Farm & Learning Hub is an urban demonstration project which showcases the application of circular economy approaches to urban farming.
This project trials:
- multiple forms of urban agriculture, and their various efficiencies and intensities of production;
- the treatment of organic waste at ward level, as a model for decentralised organic waste management.
Designed as an experimental initiative, the circular farm is being developed into a scalable, business-ready model that could be adopted by a variety of stakeholders in different sectors and at different levels of government, including national stakeholders such as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. It also serves as a practical learning platform, engaging stakeholders in hands-on learning about circular economy, the environment and their role in shaping sustainable communities.
This demonstration farm is the first pilot project to be implemented under the City of Cape Town’s Potsdam Sustainability Campus initiative.
The Campus: A One Hectare Circular Farm & Learning Hub is an urban demonstration project which showcases the application of circular economy approaches to urban farming.
This project trials:
- multiple forms of urban agriculture, and their various efficiencies and intensities of production;
- the treatment of organic waste at ward level, as a model for decentralised organic waste management.
Designed as an experimental initiative, the circular farm is being developed into a scalable, business-ready model that could be adopted by a variety of stakeholders in different sectors and at different levels of government, including national stakeholders such as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. It also serves as a practical learning platform, engaging stakeholders in hands-on learning about circular economy, the environment and their role in shaping sustainable communities.
This demonstration farm is the first pilot project to be implemented under the City of Cape Town’s Potsdam Sustainability Campus initiative.
Project aims
This project aims to:
- Offer a site for demonstrating multiple types of circular urban farming modalities;
- Trial the treatment of organic waste at ward level, as a model for decentralised organic waste management;
- Package the One Hectare Circular Farm as an innovation with a robust business case that can be taken up by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and other stakeholders to drive a shift towards smallholder-supported agriculture in South Africa; and
- Serve as a learning programme that invites students and community members to learn about circular economy, the environment and their role in shaping sustainable communities.
This project aims to:
- Offer a site for demonstrating multiple types of circular urban farming modalities;
- Trial the treatment of organic waste at ward level, as a model for decentralised organic waste management;
- Package the One Hectare Circular Farm as an innovation with a robust business case that can be taken up by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and other stakeholders to drive a shift towards smallholder-supported agriculture in South Africa; and
- Serve as a learning programme that invites students and community members to learn about circular economy, the environment and their role in shaping sustainable communities.
We are in a time of urgency, and we need bold new ideas and practices, which cannot come from repeating already-tried projects, or expecting precise outcomes – we need a new culture of pushing boundaries, harnessing learning, sharing resources, and accepting that change is messy – only then will we see broader success.
The project team
The Campus: A One Hectare Circular Farm and Learning Hub team




