MEDIA RELEASE Date: 23, August 2020
FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME REACHES DITSOBOTLA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY RESIDENTS COLLIGNY-The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has managed to help number of households, projects and non-profit making organizations in Ditsobotla Local Municipality last week to establish vegetable gardens through the distribution of starter pack consisting of vegetable seedlings and advice on production practices such as planting, tending and harvesting of vegetables.
Also as part of department’s Covid-19 response, during the campaign in Bissiesvlei and Coligny the department provided personal protective equipment (PPEs) to identified families to practice safe working environment and safe production. Families also received indigenous chickens with feed and fresh eggs.
According to MEC Desbo Mohono, every household needs to have a food garden as it will contribute towards the family’s food security.
“Through our food security programme, we are able to help households to have access to affordable, nutritious and diverse food. We are shifting the focus from food relief to food security by encouraging communities and households to plant food gardens of their own.
“The main objective of this programme is to assist households to be able to produce enough food to meet basic household food security needs. Income can be earned also from these gardens through the selling of surplus produce,” MEC Mohono pointed out.
Community members and project owners were elated to receive seedlings for their gardens and other agricultural inputs they received from government.
One of them is Nombulelo Mayeki of Itekeng Balemirui Project which is based in Bissiesvlei near Delareyville. This project has four full time employees. They plant vegetables and sell to the local community.
Mayeki thanked the department for the seedlings and for the personal protective equipment (PPEs) they were provided with to keep safe during this uncertain period of Covi-19.
We Belong We Care We Serve
“I am extremely happy for everything that we have received today. We promise to continue working the land and producing nutritious food for our community,” Mayeki expressed.
In Coligny, the department helped to plant different vegetables seedlings in Tlhabologang Township and at Thuto Tshwaraganelo Project. This project with a great potential to grow further has ten (10) members. It was established back in 2014 when the two retired teachers established a non-profitmaking organization to improve the livelihoods of the entire Tlhabologang and Coligny residents.
The organization plant and sell their produce locally for income and for job creation. The organization is also passionate about education, community upliftment and helping needy families in and around Coligny. On top of the vegetable seedlings the organization received, members also received PPEs as well as fresh eggs.
In just a period of two days, over forty (40) vegetable gardens were established in Bissiesvlei and Coligny. Each project will be allocated an extension officer to offer continuous extension and advisory services to ensure growth and sustainability. This is a continuing programme and the department intends reaching out to all deserving households and individuals with interest in agricultural activities.
For advisory services or assistance with food security related services, members of the public are advised to visit any Local Area Offices (Laos) .
Issued by: Communication Services Directorate Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako Tel: 018 389 5684/ Cell: 060 745 4020 Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/dard Facebook:www.facebook.com/dard Twitter: @nwpg _dard