The Government of KwaZulu-Natal has appealed for action that will strengthen solidarity in the provincial efforts to combat hunger, malnutrition and poverty. This was the underlying theme that Mrs Lydia Johnson, former MEC of the Department of Agriculture (DOA) put forward at the World Food Day event held in Vulamehlo municipality in the South Coast.

The event presented an opportunity to reflect on issues of food supply by looking at food production, distribution and security in the province. “In essence World Food Day reminds us that everyday is an opportunity to commit to do more, to address hunger in our communities. We should therefore accelerate our actions and interventions as we forge ahead with the war on poverty,” said Johnson.

The Empowerment for Food Security Programme (EFSP) began in 2007 and aimed at targeting vulnerable and insecure households in four district municipalities, namely Umkhanhyakude, Zululand, Umgungundlovu and Ugu. Interventions have been sponsored by DOA and the Flemish Government, for Lima to support households by supplying them with fencing, water infrastructure, mentoring as well as seed to produce food for consumption.

New interventions have also been introduced to the projects which involves the use of local low cost resources. These include organic compost and manure techniques, rain water harvesting, solar energy usage, livestock interventions and the promotion of traditional foods.