[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

The Northern Cape Government's Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, Environment and Conservation will mark the province's World Food Day festivities with the launch of seven food security projects worth R743 000. The launching of the projects comes amid the department having allocated an amount of R15,4 million for this financial year's food security projects. Residents of far-flung areas such as Kamieskroon and Niewoudtville in Namaqualand will also be participating in the World Food Day festivities that coincide with National Imbizo Week activities.

The Department's MEC, Dawid Rooi, says World Food Day should serve as a resonating call for a concerted effort to be undertaken in dealing with the spread of undernourishment. "The world should remind itself of those gripped by famine because their poverty is that of all humanity hence the entire human race should act." MEC Rooi says most of the World Food Day's food security projects seek to encourage communities to use the province's fertile soils to grow food for themselves. He added that the promotion household food security through poverty eradication would certainly eliminate food deficits in affected areas. MEC Dawid Rooi and MEC Jomo Bonokwane will launch Kamieskroon and Niewoudtville projects tomorrow.

The food security projects are aimed at providing communities with short-term relief by implementing food gardens, poultry businesses, irrigation projects and others. In the main, the projects would assist government in attaining the aspired food levels. The provision of starter-packs (irrigation tools, seeds and seedlings) to over 3 000 households and schools last year was also aimed at addressing household food security. Government strongly believes that these measures would transmit knowledge on how to grow food and will also enhance sustainable livelihoods.

A number of municipalities throughout the province are also launching food security projects that are mainly comprised of food gardens. For all food security projects DALEC will play a critical role of providing technical support on crop production and irrigation techniques.

BACKGROUND ON INDIVIDUAL WORLD FOOD DAY PROJECTS

1. Kamieskroon Food Garden (16 October 2003)

Namaqualand: Kamieskroon Primary School: School Food Garden Project to be launched by MEC Dawid Rooi to the tune of R160 000. The allocation was made for the purchasing of an irrigation system, fencing, production and dam construction. Over 270 learners will benefit from the project.

2. Melkkraal Food Garden (16 October 2003)

Namaqualand: R60 000 funding is mainly for installation of an irrigation system, fencing, and production costs to be launched by MEC Jomo Bonokwane and MEC Dawid Rooi. 24 households are the beneficiaries.

3. City Birds Abattoir (17 October 2003)

Frances Baard - Kimberley (Kimdustria): Land was acquired through the Department of Land Affairs in 2001. An initial amount of R60 000 was granted by DALEC for structural developments followed by an allocation of R240 000 for infrastructure development, equipment, operational requirements and uniforms. The ten beneficiaries include six women who are in their youth.

4. Itireleng Poultry Project

Longlands - Barkley West: Department of Land Affairs, Eskom and South African Breweries' initially funded project. DALEC sponsored it with an amount of R130 000 to enhance its operations. It already has all the necessary infrastructure that includes five poultry houses and an office where its five beneficiaries are operating from.

5. Galeshewe Day Hospital Project

Frances Baard - Kimberley: The project was started by the Department of Finance and has 30 beneficiaries who will be providing the hospital with fresh produce for patients that are infected with HIV/AIDS. Affected families around the hospital's vicinity would also be provided. DALEC's food security unit granted R30 000 for infrastructure (fence, irrigation system and production).

6. Noupoort and Emthanjeni Food Garden

Pixley Ka Seme District: Over ten households will be benefiting from the Noupoort project, which is being funded by DALEC with an amount of R58 404. The project will receive a further boost from the Department of Social Service and Population Development next week. The Emthanjeni School Food Garden Project also received an allocation from DALEC.

A number of municipalities throughout the province are also launching food security projects that are mainly comprised of food gardens. For all food security projects DALEC will play a critical role of providing technical support on crop production and irrigation techniques.

WORLD FOOD DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is observing World Food Day as a partner to the International Alliance Against Hunger that is comprised of over 150 countries (mainly developing nations). International forums such as the World Food Summit and the World Summit on Sustainable Development called for serious actions to be taken in addressing the plight of over 840 million people that are chronically hungry and under-nourished.

World Food Day serves to build greater momentum in eradicating poverty. The theme "International Alliance Against Hunger" serves to encourage efforts undertaken in eliminating world hunger. Some of the world's poorest nations are desperately in need of anti-hunger programmes hence the collective global call for no other person to die from hunger. Developed nations and the broader international community should make more development assistance available for fighting hunger.

IMBIZO

In enhancing participatory democracy and building partnerships in the quest to eradicate poverty, government initiated the consultative processes such as the Imbizo Focus Week with the theme "Build a people's contract for growth and development". Some of the food security projects are aimed at harnessing entrepreneurial skills for the expansion of economic opportunities for our people and poverty eradication.

This week's Imbizo Focus Week interactions are an entrenchment of the governance values of our democratic South Africa. A democratic South African government that provides its people with an opportunity to air concerns and for it to listen and learn. In listening to communities we will be able to step up our delivery efforts in areas that would seek interventions aimed at enforcing economic progress and addressing certain frustrations.

It is for this reason that government is mobilising those without bar-coded identity documents to attain them so that they to can access economic opportunities and social services such as pension grants.

Enquiries: Thabo Mothibi @ 083 255 8840 e-mail: tmothibi@grand.ncape.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, Environment and Conservation, Northern Cape Provincial Government

15 October 2003