World Food Day to be celebrated in Muyexe

Monday, October 12, 2009

Pretoria - This year's World Food Day national event will be held in the impoverished deep rural village of Muyexe, in Limpopo.

Themed, "Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis," the day aims to create awareness of the fight against hunger.

The event on Friday is being organised by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The day will kick-off with DAFF Minister Tina Joemat- Petersson together with first lady, Sizakele Khumalo, MEC of the LDA, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, and FAO representative, Rosebud Kurwijila, setting up a tower garden.

A tower garden is a small upright garden that can be watered using gray water. Gray water refers to the water that has already been used for domestic purposes, such as washing of dishes and clothes.

These gardens are good for older people, as they do not need to bend down a lot and can be made anywhere close to a home.

The Greater Giyani Municipality has been identified as a national pilot project for rural development with the view to replicate the lessons and successes learnt in all villages throughout the country.

World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the FAO. It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945.

The aim of the day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

In 1980, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed observance of the day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity."