Regenerative Community Action Network
RegenCAN
Market Garden
Development Fund
The RegenCAN Market Garden Development Fund is an initiative that was founded to address the need for working capital of new entrants into market gardening. Production loans are a financing model that is commonly used in industrial agriculture by co-ops, banks and others. Funds cycle through 3 phases which significantly increases their effectiveness,
The interest free production loan is granted for a maximum of a 6 month period on the condition that the market gardener has a track record regarding produce delivery to any RegenCAN outlet. The loan is repaid by the market gardener using FD+ tokens that they have received for produce sold to FD+ Compact workers or non-profit organisations (NPOs).
Local RegenCAN Chapters issue FD+ tokens to the NPOs that are feeding orphans, the elderly, and / or the infirm in the same way that it would to any project. However, the only difference is that they make sure that the FD+ tokens issued to the NPOs equal the value of the donations that have been paid to the local Market Garden Development Fund. This ensures that funds are used accordingly.
The NPOs use the FD+ tokens issued by the local RegenCAN Chapter to purchase food from any local Market Garden. The books balance and society benefits from a more efficient system — less transport cost, etc. and more convenience for the market gardeners and the organisations.
The working capital provided by the production loan allows a market gardener to buy equipment, etc. so that they grow nutritious food in the most profitable way possible. Ultimately, the outcome is both food security and job creation by the establishment of a comprehensive ecosystem of sustainable small and micro scale farmers.
Outcomes
- Market Gardeners can buy subsidised super-plugs. This increases their profits and ensures that they are solvent during their start-up phase.
- Market Gardeners can access interest free production loans to buy equipment etc. so that they can build their market garden businesses.
- NPOs that are feeding orphans, the elderly, and / or the infirm can purchase produce equal to the value of the production loans which is equal to the net-profit of the Plant Propagation Network.
MGS Sponsors
Market Garden System Sponsors pay R100 per month for 25 months into the local RegenCAN MGS Development Fund in exchange for Qu tokens which they can use to purchase super-plugs and plants from a local #Volunteer4SA Plant Propagation Network. All the funds raised after minimal material expenses amounting to less than one-third of gross income are used in three phases to develop a network of Market Gardens. N.B. No sponsor money is used for staff or admin costs.
Certified RO*Food & MGS
The RegenCAN Market Garden Development Fund is a great way to significantly boost the number of suitably proficient RegenCAN MGS & certified RO*Food MGS growers.
The Certified RO*Food classifications are represented as follows:
Certified RO*Food Home Grown * / ** / ***
Certified RO*Food MGS Grown * / ** / ***
Certified RO*Food Farm Grown * / ** / ***
Certified RO*Food Eco Pastured * / ** / ***
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