Eikenhof Farm keeps hunger at bay

24 March 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg’s determination to provide a food security net in poor communities was showcased on Wednesday March 23 when Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau visited the City’s Eikenhof Farm, south of Johannesburg.

 

The farm is home to 35 co-operatives producing vegetables, grains and livestock under the Food Resilience Programme, which is run by the City’s Department of Health and Social Development.

The programme was in response to research in 2011 that revealed that more than 400 000 Johannesburg residents went without food for at least three days a month. As a short-term solution, the City identified the most indigent families and provided them with food parcels. However, farming was seen as a long-term solution to deal with food shortages and poverty.

Residents were encouraged to start food gardens in their homes, which are now flourishing in many parts of the city. The Eikenhof Farm is one of three major projects the City is running to fulfil its mission to ensure that “no one [in Johannesburg] should go hungry”.

The mayor was joined on his visit to the 271-hectare Eikenhof Farm by more than 1 000 people, including farmers, local residents, councillors and members of the Faith-Based Organisation. Thriving vegetable patches, vegetable tunnels and livestock pens dot the farm, which has been in production for the past three years.

Mayor Tau said the farm was critical in improving the welfare of the community. He said although there was no single solution to the war against poverty, it was important for the City to work with communities to end hunger.

“I’d like to congratulate all the co-operatives involved in this project. You make us very proud. We should all be motivated to do more,” he said.

The Mayor praised the farmers for their determination and hard work in the face of challenges such as the lack of irrigation, shortage of storage space and electricity. He said once those were addressed the farmers, who were already producing enough to feed their families, would be able to increase production and sell the produce to their communities and supply supermarkets.

He said by securing land and empowering the poor through co-operatives, the City was not only addressing poverty and hunger but was also creating jobs and stabilising food prices.

“Some of the produce from this farm is already being sold at the Fresh Produce Market in City Deep. Other co-operatives are supplying supermarkets such as Boxer, Pick n Pay and others. The Fresh Produce Market, a City entity, determines prices. Fresh produce from Eikenhof influences prices because vegetables are produced nearer the market.”

Rose Mkhize, Chairwoman of Dumanics Cooperative, had earlier pleaded with the Mayor for help with irrigation as water shortage was affecting production. She said farmers would also appreciate more training so they could be self-sufficient, lease agreements so they could approach the banks for loans and more expertise from the Department of Agriculture.

“We also need housing on the farm because transport is a huge challenge,” Mkhize said.

Ntokozo Biyela, of Isiphosenkisi Cooperative, thanked the City for its continued support.

“This has been an eye-opening experience. Land is life and by giving us this land the City has given us life,” Biyela said.

He also pleaded for private investment, saying this would create more jobs for the community.