Key areas assigned for subsistence farming

The group identified Lusikiski, Makathini flats, Nebo Plateau, Taung as well as Bushbuckridge as key areas for the Ilima-Letsema campaign, which mobilises communities to use their land to produce food.

“In addressing short-term measures, identified beneficiaries will among others, receive agricultural starter-packs to enable household food production,” the group said in a statement after its meeting held on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka and attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Lulu Xingwana, together with the principal stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

In the long-term, the group said micro-enterprises would be established to ensure structured self-sufficient intervention.

This campaign supports the “National War on Poverty” and is an intervention mechanism to address food accessibility of the poorest of the poor.

To be launched on Thursday in the Xariep District in the Free State, which has been declared as one of the nodal points, the campaign will see officials from national, provincial and local government working directly with poor families in trying to find ways to root out poverty.

A team of social workers will be recruited for door-to-door evaluations and follow-up visits will ensure progress.

Rising electricity, food and fuel prices, a population where 43% live on less than R3000 a month and widening inequality are some of the challenges faced by government.

More than four million people live below the poverty line, according to official figures and in the last 10 months in office, this government's immediate focus is to ensure that it delivers on key promises it made five years ago to ensure a better life for all.

In this light the envisaged approach will enable government to strengthen existing partnerships and establish new ones to upscale and intensify the fight against poverty.

The War on Poverty approach is to ensure that programmes and projects which work to improve the social lives of the people are better coordinated and integrated for easy access and efficiency.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews