As Mandela Month draws to a close, the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in partnership with Sibanye-Stillwater and the Mineworkers Development Agency (MDA), has launched a food garden initiative in Marikana, aimed at improving food security and promoting community self-reliance.
The initiative has provided 150 beneficiaries with production inputs, including gardening tools, seeds, seedlings and other essential resources, supported by ongoing technical assistance from the department.
The initiative forms part of efforts to honour the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela by empowering communities to take practical steps towards sustainable livelihoods and long-term food security.
By encouraging household and community food production, the programme seeks to improve access to nutritious food while creating opportunities for residents to generate an income from the sale of surplus produce.
Rather than simply handing over production inputs, North West Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Madoda Sambatha, officials from the MDA, Sibanye-Stillwater and the department's extension officers spent a day working alongside beneficiaries, sharing practical skills and technical knowledge to help ensure the food gardens thrive long after Mandela Month concludes at the end of the month of July.
As part of the department's Mandela Month programme, food gardens were also established at schools and in community backyard gardens, where learners and residents received hands-on training in sustainable food production and garden maintenance.
Marikana II Primary School Principal Dikgang Andrew Phuza welcomed the support, saying the initiative will strengthen the school's food garden and enhance its ability to support learners through improved food production.
"These contributions will strengthen our food garden and help us continue supporting our learners through improved food production. We are grateful for this investment in our school and community," Phuza said.
Through its ongoing support, the MDA and Sibanye-Stillwater has helped lay a strong foundation for the initiative by providing vital infrastructure and equipment to help beneficiaries expand their projects and build more sustainable livelihoods.
Sibanye-Stillwater Executive Vice President for Stakeholder Relations, Thabisile Phumo, described the initiative as an important step towards building self-sustaining communities.
"This is the beginning of building resilient communities that are able to grow and provide food for themselves. Through partnerships such as these, we can make a meaningful contribution to food security and sustainable development," Phumo said on Tuesday.
Addressing beneficiaries, Sambatha said the partnership with Sibanye-Stillwater and the MDA demonstrates how collaboration can deliver tangible benefits for communities.
"The aim is to empower families, schools and communities to produce food for themselves. Beyond household consumption, surplus produce can be sold to generate an income and improve livelihoods," Sambatha said.
The MEC also highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships to expand the reach of food security programmes across the province.
"We are encouraged by the support of partners such as Sibanye-Stillwater and the Mineworkers Development Agency. Together, we can reach more communities and establish more food gardens that will not only feed families but also create opportunities for communities to support those in need and build local economies.”
He further called for closer collaboration between the department and the MDA to replicate similar projects in other districts across the province.
"Our vision is to expand these initiatives to more schools and communities throughout the North West, where young people can learn the value of agriculture, develop practical skills and contribute to local food production," the MEC said.
In the true spirit of Nelson Mandela's legacy, the department said the initiative was about more than dedicating 67 minutes of service, but about “planting the seeds of hope, dignity and self-reliance, seeds that will continue to grow, nourish families and strengthen communities for years to come.” – SAnews.gov.za
