Celebrating World Food Day by feeding the needy
Reality is that food security is still a big concern in our country
THE South African National Zakah Fund (Sanzaf) aimed to feed 350 people in celebration of World Food Day and began by providing meals to the needy on the Grand Parade.
Celebrated every year around the world on October 16, the day was widely used by organisations, concerned with food security, to spread awareness.
Sanzaf general manager Yasmina Francke said yesterday’s feeding scheme was to provide some relief to the city’s homeless.
“For some of the people here today, this goes a little way in providing some relief.
“The reality is that food security is still a big concern in our country and the world.
“This initiative helps bring awareness to the fact that many South Africans don’t know where their next meal is going to come from,” said Francke.
She said they would also visit the communities of Woodstock stables and next to Salt River train station, who are the normal recipients of their feeding schemes which they run across the province.
Jamie-Lee De Kock said she had been living on the streets of Cape Town for the last four years and organisations like Sanzaf provided great relief.
She said Sanzaf reminded her that there are still people in this world that care about the next person.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde, said the Western Cape Department of Agriculture hosted its World Food Day programme in Villiersdorp last week, with a focus on water-wise food gardens.
This year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) selected migration and its impact on food security as the global theme for food security and rural development.
“In the Western Cape, we are experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than 100 years.
“Like the FAO, we recognise that climate change is one of the major threats facing agriculture and food security.
“That is why we decided to make sure that residents were able to grow their own food with limited water.
“In our Villiersdorp project, all residents received training on how to use grey water.
“Food garden projects were fitted with grey water systems.
“A pipeline links the community gardens to a borehole water supply, meaning no municipal water is being used.
“We have also partnered with the BGCMA (BreedeGouritz Catchment Management Agency) to install 28 rain harvesting water tanks,” Winde said.