By Machaka Maphari
About 200 identified households have received food hampers from MEC responsible for Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) Thabo Mokone together with the Mayor of Makhado Municipality, Councilor (Cllr) Samuel Munyai as well as Chief Vho-Vele Kutama during the commemoration of Provincial World Food Day.
The commemoration took place at Muduluni Community Hall, in Makhado Local Municipality, Vhembe District on 31 October 2023.
October was declared as Food Security Month, which aims to heighten public awareness on issues of food security in the country and strengthening solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.
MEC Mokone hands over food parcel to an identified household.
The basic human rights guarantee people adequate access to food. According to statistics, 95.2% of Limpopo residents have access to food, said MEC Mokone in his address.
He elaborated further that there is a need to re-double the efforts together with the community to address the remaining percentage that does not have access to food. “That is why we are here at (Kutama village) today to celebrate this important day with the community”, said the MEC.
He acknowledged it is not always advisable to give a person fish but teach that person how to catch it. MEC continued that the reason the department has extension officers in place, is to transfer knowledge to small-scale farmers so they become self-sustainable.
MEC urged Councilors and traditional leaders to encourage the community to use their backyard as food gardens to address food security. He said indigenous food production had sustained communities over many centuries and are still relevant, convenient and affordable to produce.
World Food Day is celebrated annually around the world in October, in honour of the founding date of the FAO of the United Nations. The main objective of World Food Day is to create awareness on issues of global food insecurity. The theme for this year is: “Water is life. Water is Food. Leave no one Behind.”
Food mountain meant for destitute households.
