“Food gardens better than relying on food parcels” – Shongwe
MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Vusi Shongwe, has called on every household to start cultivating backyard vegetable gardens for planting.
MBOMBELA – The dire effects of Covid-19 pandemic will be felt long after a vaccine has been found.
It is for that reason that the MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Vusi Shongwe, has called on every household to start cultivating backyard vegetable gardens for planting.
Shongwe reiterated government’s commitment to shield poor families from hunger, but he advised families to supplement their food through planting vegetables and where possible, fruit in their own yards.
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“There is no reason why every family with a yard does not grow a vegetable garden, no permit or permission is required to grow vegetables in your yard.
“We’re heading for tough times because of this virus. Some bread winners who only get paid for the actual work they do, are unable to go to work and will not get an income.”
That will inevitably lead to a loss of income, and that means families will go to bed without food,” he said.
Shongwe pleaded with households, particularly the worse affected, to strongly consider starting vegetable gardens.
“Food parcels which are currently distributed, are not sustainable and there is no guarantee that they will be regularly available,” he cautioned.
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Shongwe plans to engage all municipalities to look at making vacant land (in each ward) available for communities to plough.
“We are going to revive that programme and where possible, we will donate seeds and working tools. Every municipal ward must have a vegetable garden to feed those who cannot afford.
“We must resuscitate the spirit of being self-reliant among our people. While we fight the Covid-19 virus and other deadly diseases on one hand, we might also fight hunger and starvation aggressively because our communities can also die from malnutrition,” he stressed.
Shongwe made it clear that the intention of encouraging households, particularly the poor, to start growing their own food is not to eliminate hawkers who earn a living through the sale of vegetables.
