• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle

N West food security projects benefits rural learners

10th March 2021
Willem Booise (left) is a trustee and has won the industry’s Specialist Agricultural Worker of the Year award in 2018. Photo: Supplied/Hortgro

Fruit farm shows there’s power in transformation

11th August 2022
Many people love avocados, but did you know that the introduction of just one of these fruits per day can improve the overall quality of your diet? Photo: Pixabay

An avocado a day can keep the doctor away

10th August 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Davidzo Chizhengeni, animal scientist, founder of KvD livestock, Ika Cronje, farmer and participant in the Corteva Women Agripreneur 2022 programme, Vuyokazi Makapela, a Director at Afrivet, and permaculture farmer, Stephanie Mullins. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Podcast: Prevent rabies with vaccination

10th August 2022
Control and prevent downy mildew on crops

Control and prevent downy mildew on crops

10th August 2022
The value of South Africa’s informal farming sector is understated, experts say, and many farmers say that they prefer trading to this segment of the economy. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

New farmer? Informal markets ‘the way to go’

10th August 2022
Gauteng police recovered and confiscated sheep and goats in Sedibeng this week. Photo: Supplied/SAPS

ICYMI: Police recover stolen livestock

10th August 2022
Ecological farming the answer to food insecurity

Ecological farming the answer to food insecurity

9th August 2022
Setting up a regenerative smallholding

Setting up a regenerative smallholding

9th August 2022
Determination drives this #SoilSista to succeed

Determination drives this #SoilSista to succeed

9th August 2022
The women who dared to start farming in Mzansi when few others would. Photo: Food For Mzansi

She bosses: ‘We see farming changing for good’

9th August 2022
Refiloe Molefe has vowed to build a new urban farm after the City of Johannesburg bulldozed the site she built in Bertrams. Photo: Supplied/GroundUp

ICYMI: Mama Fifi determined to rise again

9th August 2022
Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

8th August 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

    Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

    Claire and Martin Joubert have sacrificed and struggled to become top breeders of Ankole cattle in South Africa. But giving up was never an option, because they wanted to offer only the very best Ankole genetics in the country. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farming couple lives and breathes Ankole cattle

    Tackling climate change, one tree at a time

    Agricareers: Veterinary science not for the timid

    Agricareers: Veterinary science not for the timid

    Once struggling farm now a family heirloom

    Optimal yields now at farmers’ finger tips

    Some of the children with the ECD practitioner Yolanda Shabalala. Zero2Five Trust promotes holistic Early Childhood Development in formerly disadvantaged areas by improving learners’ health and education outcomes with nutrition and education programmes. Photo: Supplied/Zero2Five Trust

    Zero2Five: Giving hope to KZN flood victims

    Agripreneur 101: Kupisa Sauce is going places

    Agripreneur 101: Kupisa Sauce is going places

    Ncumisa Mkabile, is a farmer, community activist that has won numerous awards for her work in agriculture. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farmer, influencer, go-getter – Ncumisa’s all that

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi

N West food security projects benefits rural learners

by Duncan Masiwa
10th March 2021
in News
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A

The learners from various primary schools in remote villages in North West, are looking forward to taking care of their newly established food gardens themselves. Photo: Supplied/FoodForMzansi

With a poverty rate of 52.2%, hunger in North West remain marginally higher than the national average. However, the provincial department of agriculture and rural development continues to plough into food security programmes.

In recent weeks, primary schools were supported with garden tools, seedlings, shade nets and production inputs. This, says MEC Desbo Mohono, can help impoverished communities to break the cycle of poverty, increase food security, as well as create jobs.

Since the programme’s launch, Mohono’s department has reached over 1 900 households. The food gardens at schools not only feed learners, but community members too. Mohono tells Food For Mzansi she is on a mission to promote agriculture amongst the youth.

Duncan Masiwa: Judging from your Twitter feed, you have been traveling quite extensively with the food security programme. Why have you decided to extend the programme to primary schools in villages?
Food security: Desbo Mohono, the MEC for agriculture and rural development in North West. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Desbo Mohono, the MEC for agriculture and rural development in North West. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Desbo Mohono: This is an initiative (by both) the North West department of agriculture and rural development and department of education led by MEC Maphefo Matsemela. Our objective is primarily to empower young minds on food security, as well as helping to provide healthy meals at school. We are also in quest of making agriculture a way of life. Schools are the best foundation to start such progressive initiatives.

ADVERTISEMENT
How many schools have already benefitted from this programme?

Twenty-one schools have been assisted so far. We plan to cover as many (schools) as possible to ensure that our learners are exposed to farming at an early stage. This initiative will also include learner excursions to farms.

Schools were supported with garden tools, seedlings, shade nets and production inputs. We have also provided training to both learners and parents that would normally assists with these gardens. The district has also provided support through its advisory services by providing regular advisory visits to these schools.

There are quite a number of new agricultural projects in the province…

The department initiated backyard food gardens where over 2 000 households were assisted with seedlings, tools, fertilisers and indigenous chickens across the province. Over 250 smallholder farmers were assisted.

The province has successfully managed to support aquaponic projects that are now reputable at food security-level. These projects are in the rural villages and have sustained themselves so well. We have also managed to provide support to a female-owned vegetable project in Kanana. At present, the project is selling produce at the Klerksdorp Fresh Produce Market.

Also, 21 layer producers were assisted with a total of 50 layers and feed each. They were able to come together to supply tuck-shop markets with eggs from their households. 

How would you describe North West farmers?

They are hardworking, tenacious, and skilled. Our farmers are receptive to new innovations and technology. We are very proud of them as they contribute positively towards our country’s GDP and, importantly, assist in curbing food insecurity, unemployment and poverty.

ALSO READ: NW farmer leaves family farm to set out on her own

  • Departmental officials visited schools in various parts of the province to donate vegetables, garden tools and establish food gardens. Photo: Supplied/FoodForMzansi
  • MEC Desbo Mohono extended the departmental food security programme to primary schools in villages. Photo: Supplied/FoodForMzansi
  • Two learners from Modimola Primary School in Mahikeng doing preperation for their schools new vegetable garden. Photo: Supplied/FoodForMzansi
  • Officials visited Tau Primary School learners planting seedlings in Mahikeng. Photo: Supplied/FoodForMzansi
ADVERTISEMENT
Tags: Food gardensfood security programmesKlerksdorp Fresh Produce MarketMEC Desbo MohonoMEC Maphefo Matsemelaschool food gardens
Previous Post

PhD candidate teaches kindness through farming

Next Post

Podcast: Brucellosis epidemic threatens 500 000 jobs

Duncan Masiwa

Duncan Masiwa

DUNCAN MASIWA is a budding journalist with a passion for telling great agricultural stories. He hails from Macassar, close to Somerset West in the Western Cape, where he first started writing for the Helderberg Gazette community newspaper. Besides making a name for himself as a columnist, he is also an avid poet who has shared stages with artists like Mahalia Buchanan, Charisma Hanekam, Jesse Jordan and Motlatsi Mofatse.

Related Posts

Some of the children with the ECD practitioner Yolanda Shabalala. Zero2Five Trust promotes holistic Early Childhood Development in formerly disadvantaged areas by improving learners’ health and education outcomes with nutrition and education programmes. Photo: Supplied/Zero2Five Trust

Zero2Five: Giving hope to KZN flood victims

by Staff Reporter
27th July 2022
0

The Zero2Five Trust has been working tirelessly to provide children and their families with food parcels and blankets in the...

Northern Cape farmers being addressed by the MEC for agriculture, environmental affairs, rural development and land reform, Mase Manopole. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

N. Cape farmers throttled by infrastructure, floods, fires

by Duncan Masiwa
29th April 2022
0

Northern Cape agri MEC Mase Manopole did a tour of her province last week, and learned of collapsed bridges, fire...

Farming trainer and mentor Portia Mahlobo, monitoring the progress of an award-winning farming cooperative called You Reap What You Sow in Mohlakeng, Randfontein. Photo: Magnificent Mndebele/Food For Mzansi

Victim to victor: How a song inspired a food garden hero

by Magnificent Mndebele
20th April 2022
0

While healing from an emotionally abusive relationship, Portia Mahlobo heard a song that touched her deeply. It inspired her to...

Vodacom has announced its support for eight early childhood development centres where participants will benefit from food gardens. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Vodacom backs food gardens at 8 ECD centres

by Ivor Price
20th March 2022
0

A leading mobile operator has pledged its support to eight early childhood development centres who are establishing food gardens to...

Next Post
Podcast: Brucellosis epidemic threatens 500 000 jobs

Podcast: Brucellosis epidemic threatens 500 000 jobs

Control and prevent downy mildew on crops
Advertorial

Control and prevent downy mildew on crops

by Nicole Ludolph
10th August 2022
0

ADVERTORIAL: Broccoli and cauliflower farmers need to watch out for downy mildew, a plant fungus common in wet conditions. Simon...

Read more
The value of South Africa’s informal farming sector is understated, experts say, and many farmers say that they prefer trading to this segment of the economy. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

New farmer? Informal markets ‘the way to go’

10th August 2022
Gauteng police recovered and confiscated sheep and goats in Sedibeng this week. Photo: Supplied/SAPS

ICYMI: Police recover stolen livestock

10th August 2022
Ecological farming the answer to food insecurity

Ecological farming the answer to food insecurity

9th August 2022
Setting up a regenerative smallholding

Setting up a regenerative smallholding

9th August 2022

This week’s agriculture events: 08 to 12 August 2022

Setting up a regenerative smallholding

Fuel rebates should expand to other businesses

Farming couple lives and breathes Ankole cattle

Control and prevent downy mildew on crops

Podcast: Level up your farm with carbon credits

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 12 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

Fruit farm shows there’s power in transformation

An avocado a day can keep the doctor away

Podcast: Prevent rabies with vaccination

Control and prevent downy mildew on crops

New farmer? Informal markets ‘the way to go’

ICYMI: Police recover stolen livestock

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.