With the increase in food prices, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is on a mission to encourage every community in the province to have a food garden.
The MEC for agriculture and rural development, Super Zuma, recently led a food security and poverty alleviation campaign in Ward 29, uMhlumayo, uThukela District with their One Home One Garden programme.
The campaign seeks to intensify the efforts of the department to end poverty and enable food security.
While visiting five families with home gardens he advocated the gospel of food from the source to curb poverty, increase household health and nutrition, and promote social welfare particularly as the country struggles with high prices.
“All communities need to have a garden to ease the burden of escalating food prices. The recent increase in food prices makes it difficult for our people to keep up with food security and sustain livelihoods,” Zuma said.
Gardens to support families
In addition, the MEC handed out wheelbarrows, rakes, watering cans, and other farming implements to assist households and communities.
To further address and understand the issues of the community, Zuma partook in a public engagement programme.
“Government is willing to work with communities to ensure that people solely dependent on farming, save money and can buy other household needs. People can easily feed on produce from the garden to support their families and society,” he said.
Since stepping into office, the department has distributed seeds and seedlings on different platforms including government events and community centres.
Zuma believes that to respond to people’s needs, the tempo of delivering services must be sped up.
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