World Food Day 2019 Healthy diets for a #zerohunger world

by Adéle Isaacs-Cloete, adelei@elsenburg.com and Mary James, maryj@elsenburg.com

WWorld Food Day (WFD) is commemorated globally on 16 October in remembrance of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945 as an organisation that deals with global food and agricultural issues. The theme of the 2019 World Food Day was “Healthy diets for a #zerohunger world”. This theme called for action across sectors to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible to all. The FAO envisages a zero hunger world by 2030 and is urging action to promote the availability of healthy diets to every person in the world. Today, an estimated 820 million people are undernourished, with even more people overweight or obese. In South Africa, we have high numbers of both.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) commemorated World Food Day 2019 at Murraysburg in the Central Karoo. The Murraysburg rural community, one of the poorest communities in the Western Cape, is one of 15 rural development nodes identified as part of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP).

The WCDoA staff joined forces with the local municipality to help the community and schools to boost food production by establishing household food gardens, school/ community food gardens, and chicken coops to empower the people of Murraysburg. The projects are a starting point to what could be sustainable outreach initiatives with lasting impact in the long run. The event kicked off with a march against hunger led by the Head of Department, Joyene Isaacs, where the community of Murraysburg came together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger. Ms Isaacs handed over a “food mountain” to the value of R100 000 to various beneficiaries in the community to address the environmental impact of food production. Ms Isaacs emphasised that food security and access to food is a real struggle for a considerable number of people in the Western Cape. “World Food Day creates the opportunity to give to those people struggling daily and deserve a break.” The 2019 event was successful due to the contribution of various public and private sector organisations. These included ABInBev, Oceana, Fruitways, Hortgro, Shoprite, African Biomass Company Chippers, Kaap Agri and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture staff and Elsenburg College students.

“Together we can fight hunger and make a difference in the lives of the people of the impoverished rural communities of the Western Cape”, said Isaacs. AP

by Dr Ilse Trautmann, ilset@elsenburg.com