Department of Agriculture Commemorates World Food Day in Karatara

On 11 October 2013, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Knysna Municipality and various other stakeholders across the three spheres of government, private sector and civil society commemorated World Food Day in the extremely impoverished community of Karatara, with projects also in Rheenendal and Fairview.

The focus of World Food Day this year was Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition.  A food system is made up of the environment, people, institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers.

The Western Cape MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Minister Gerrit van Rensburg, was the guest of honour and keynote speaker at an event where 50 food gardens and four chicken coups were handed over to beneficiaries from the three communities as part of a sustainable solution to food security.

“One of the goals of the Western Cape Government is to care for our people. When we see people who want to help themselves, we take their hands to help them as well. Myself and my team at the Department of Agriculture want everyone in this community to have something to eat every day. Let’s put the past behind us and work together towards a better future,” he said.

The recipients were also provided with food production packages, which included water tanks for water harvesting. Training in how to keep the gardens were also given to the beneficiaries.

In addition to these 54 families, four beneficiaries from the communities, namely Charlotte's Soup Kitchen in Karatara, Happy Family Créche in Rheenendal, Rheenendal Community Soup Kitchen and Golden Movement Club were the recipients of a food mountain, which were made up by donations from the staff of all the participating organisations as well as donors, mainly SAB Miller. The people from the community who attended also received a nutritious meal.

These communities are also part of the National Department of Rural Development and land Reform’s Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) and is one of 15 rural development nodes in the Western Cape. World Food Day highlighted the collective effort in addressing food security in a collaborative manner. In partnership with the Council of Stakeholders, a registered NGO comprising individuals from the communities, the Department of Agriculture has embarked on a five-phase approach in fulfilling the vision of creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities.

The World Food Day commemoration is just another example of how the Western Cape Government collaborates with other organisations and citizens alike to ensure food security for the province Better Together.