Food security project launched for Vhembe communities
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila wants to encourage rural youths and communities to actively participate in agricultural farming to improve their lives.
LIMPOPO-In an effort to fight unemployment in rural areas, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila recently launched a food security project for the community of Sinthumule and Kutama area.
The launch was held at Midoroni at the True Worship Christian Centre on June 18, after the senior traditional leader, Thovhele Vho- Vele Kutama donated five hectares of land to the project.
“We want to ensure that farming does not cease in this area and that there is sustainable food security in the area. We are also encouraging the youth from around here to take agriculture seriously and regard it as a future career prospect. In doing so, they can use their knowledge to improve their food gardens at home too.”
Mapaila said they hoped the project would spark an interest in agriculture among young people.
“Food gardens in the communities are becoming a trend, but we struggle to produce good quality vegetables because of a lack of knowledge. With this initiative, we also hope to create jobs and build an economy that benefits the community.”
Mapaila added that agriculture had the potential to eradicate poverty and to stimulate economic development.
He said that the key goal of the project was to promote community-based, sustainable land management that was firmly rooted in the recovery and application of agricultural knowledge.
“This will facilitate sustainable development through interventions that mitigate threats to biodiversity and maintain ecological processes necessary to secure livelihoods in rural areas,” Mapaila said.
“It is time to get up and do things for yourself, so that we can defeat poverty and unemployment and help create jobs for jobless people. I want to encourage our rural youths and our community to actively participate in agricultural farming to better their lives,” said Mapaila.
He said he found it “embarrassing” that most food that could be produced locally, was instead imported from overseas. “We are determined to take farming to another level.”
Thovhele Kutama said that as a traditional leader he donated land to fight unemployment. He also urged the community to assist their communities in establishing community projects.
