Johannesburg – The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Bheki Cele, has appealed to South Africans to donate food items to 12 million people who go to bed hungry.
“We are calling on South Africans to donate items of non-perishable food products at collection points in all Department of Agriculture offices and municipal offices countrywide,” Deputy Minister Cele said on Friday.
He said the food items would be distributed accordingly to needy families as part of an initiative to stop hunger, which will be held in commemoration of World Food Day.
Speaking at the launch of Food Security Month at Dreamland Piggery Farm, in Vanderbijlpark, Deputy Minister Cele said World Food Day was celebrated annually on 16 October.
World Food Day was celebrated by many other organisations concerned with food security in honour of the founding of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations in 1945.
South Africa will celebrate World Food Day in Musina, Limpopo, under the theme ‘Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth’.
“I urge individuals, organisations - big or small - and the nation at large to be part of this new movement of ensuring food security now and in the future,” Deputy Minister Cele said.
He said the department, with its partners in development, was prioritising food security, job creation and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as those were the key aspects towards growth and expansion in the sector.
Deputy Minister Cele said last year, agriculture contributed 2.7 percent to the GDP.
“Agriculture is the answer and future… Last month, the country was saved by agriculture from going into a recession,” he said.
Dreamland farm
Owner of Dreamland farm, Anna Phosa, started farming 10 years ago when she purchased a small agriculture holding, where they planted vegetables and had a few chickens. She later expanded her farm to breed pigs.
In 2006, she won the Gauteng Female Farmer of the Year Award.
“I am proud to say that I have created 30 permanent jobs and 10 seasonal jobs for the Sedibeng community. I am proud to say most of my workers are youth, I hope one day they will take over and become farmers themselves,” Phosa said.
She said she was supplying Pick ‘n Pay with 300 pigs per week.
Phosa’s farm contributes to the local and national economy by marketing its produce to outlets such as Pick ‘n Pay, New Style Pork and Vereeniging Meat Packers.
She attributed her success to passion, tolerance and her supportive family.
“This is a family run business… There were times when we exhausted all our family’s savings. Whenever we are faced with challenges, we always encourage each other,” Phosa said.
She said she was privileged to have Food Security Month launched on her farm. - SAnews.gov.za
