The government of KwaZulu-Natal has appealed for action that will strengthen solidarity in the provincial efforts to combat hunger, malnutrition and poverty. This was echoed by the Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development MEC, Mrs Lydia Johnson during the provincial World Food Day commemoration event today at S’mahla Tribal Council in Vulamehlo municipality in the South Coast.
The department in cooperation with other stakeholders like Ugu District Municipality, the African Centre for Food Security of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and other government departments held the provincial celebrations under the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) theme, ”Food Prices for Crises to Stability”. The event presented an opportunity to reflect on issues of food supply by looking at food production, distribution and security in the province. KwaZulu-Natal accounts for approximately 3,5 million people of the world’s food insecure population.
“In essence World Food Day reminds us that every day is an opportunity to commit to do more, to address hunger in our communities. We should therefore accelerate our actions and interventions as we forge ahead with the war on poverty” said Johnson. She said that government is mobilising traditional authorities and local government to provide land and leadership to promote food production at a ward level.
The Food Security Directorate of the department has embarked on several initiatives that are directed in assistingcommunities that are food insecure to deal with challenges of accessing food (decreased buying power versus increased food prices) and, also to a great extent - food production and marketing of the excess produce. One of the initiatives that the department is funding in partnership with Flanders Government is the Empowerment for Food Security Programme (EFSP).
The EFSP started in 2007 targeting vulnerable and food insecure households in four district municipalities, Umkhanyakude, Zululand, UMgungundlovu and Ugu. The department has two approaches to address Food insecurity of vulnerable homesteads in the province, the EFSP and the Comprehensive for Food Security Programme (CFSP).
Both the EFSP and the CFSP have established several food security projects in partnership with districts and other government department. These interventions of government continue to support small scale and emerging farmers with inputs, including seeds, fencing and water infrastructure (Jojo tanks), training and mentoring. Households are supplied with seeds to produce food for consumption in their households through the 'ONE HOME ONE GARDEN' campaign that has encouraged visibility of gardens throughout the province. Tractors are made available to plough huge parcels of land for massification projects. Vulnerable households are identified for relevant targeted food security interventions and social grants. Grant beneficiaries are also supported to start and maintain homestead gardens. All identified vulnerable households are assisted with planting and closely monitored for further assistance.
New innovations have been introduced in to projects to promote the use of local available and low cost resources. The innovations that have been introduced include the following:
- Composting and Manure utilisation to promote organic growing,
- The preservation, preparation, storage and diversification of food at homestead level,
- The promotion of traditional foods,
- Water Harvesting and Management including rain water harvesting,
- Healthy and environmentally friendly pest control,
- Enhancing food security through livestock intervention, starting with indigenous chickens and
- Effective energy utilisation including biogas and solar energy.
MEC Johnson encouraged participants that have performed better while motivating the general public to become involved in the food security initiatives that are driven by the government of KwaZulu-Natal.
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