Kwatsaduza – The CoE programme to eradicate poverty through self-sustenance, dubbed Fetsa Tlala, is making notable progress in creating food security for the benefiting communities. The city helps beneficiaries establish both home-based and viable co-operative food gardens.
Reflecting on the progress made since the programme’s launch last December, MMC for City Planning and Economic Development Nomadlozi Nkosi said, “The programme is delivered with the assistance of our formidable partner, Hya-Matla Organics – a company that harvests hyacinth from the city’s water bodies and converts it into organic fertilisers.
“Through the partnership, 2 000 bags of fertilisers in 40kg units have been donated, reaching about 100 beneficiaries linked to co-operatives the city works with,” explains Nkosi.
The fertilisers also get distributed to council-owned farms, clinics with food gardens, schools and community gardens that help to eradicate food shortage and hunger in many households.
The fledgling farmers received AgriSETA-accredited training and plant production training from Dicla Training and Farming to secure their competitiveness in the farming business.
To date, 33 co-operatives were granted five-year land-user agreements to conduct agricultural production at Spaarwater Incubation Farm in Nigel, used as an incubation hub for small-scale co-operatives.
