NOLUVO MGIJIMA
THE KwaZulu-Natal premier Thamsanqa Ntuli launched the multi-planting season at eNhlanhleni under the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality area last Friday, October 10.
This was an initiative to encourage communities to fend off hunger and boost food security by planting crops that sustain the community. It was also a response to a concerning report from the General Household Survey (GHS) that revealed that KZN has the highest number of households with inadequate access to food.
Agriculture was identified as a key economic activity capable of reducing poverty. The GHS report for 2024 showed that there are a total of 15.5% of households that have inadequate access to food and 8.4% that have severely inadequate food access. Villagers in Enhlanhleni, Underberg, received new tractors to kick-off the planting season. The launch of the planting season in the area was also a government response to the Pholela Community Project’s plight that called for assistance with machinery and seedlings.
The project, based in Enhlanhleni, produces crops on a 60-hectare piece of land. Deputy Chairman Karabo Matia said that the project was initiated to fight poverty, but later contributed to the local economy.
“The project produces maize, cow feed and beans and sells them to the local market,” he explained.
Project member Nomkhosi Nyambose said she started by growing crops in her small garden. After some time she realised that it was not enough and joined the Pholela Community Project.
She was pleased with government support of 120 bags of fertiliser, 60 litres of chemicals, 40 bags of maize seed and five bags of grass and pasture seed.
She said that the support will have a massive effect on their production. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said that the department supported farmers through mechanisation programmes. Premier Ntuli urged young people to pursue farming and use agriculture as a weapon to defeat hunger and boost the economy. He urged people to adopt farming to address food insecurity and alleviate poverty.
Ntuli also announced a new seed multiplication programme to be distributed throughout the province.
