Durban — Former Msunduzi Municipality mayor and founder of the Njilo Foundation, Themba Njilo, has championed the One Home One Garden programme in the KwaMnyandu community to ensure food security and proper nutrition.
This was on Wednesday when KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Super Zuma visited the KwaMnyandu community in Pietermaritzburg to pledge his support to families who have taken the first step towards self-sustainability through crop farming.
The One Home One Garden is an initiative which encourages every household to grow its own produce amid the rising food insecurity and cost of living crisis. It seeks to alleviate poverty, to create jobs and to provide sustainable incomes within rural households.
Njilo declared his public approval for the department’s One Home One Garden programme in a video which went viral on social media platforms.
In the video, Njilo encouraged Msunduzi residents to heed Zuma’s plea to work hand in hand with the department by starting vegetable gardens in their backyards.
He showed off his garden which he started in September. He is growing cabbages, beetroot and spinach, which he is hoping to share with the community during the festive season.
Njilo praised Zuma for the work that the department was carrying out within provincial communities, supplying seedlings, farming implements and for the provision of training conducted by departmental experts on the production of quality produce.
“I decided not so long ago to cross over to farming and my crops will benefit community members who have yet to start with their own gardens. All young and old are encouraged to get up and get their hands dirty to feed their families. I am most grateful for the support that we have received from MEC Super Zuma and his department,” Njilo said.
Zuma said this was an opportune time to place emphasis on self-sustainability and food security offered through the One Home One Garden programme.
He added that the vision was to create agricultural firms within rural communities, and it all starts with individuals.
Ward councillor Nathi Mbanjwa said he was pleased by the support offered to the community by the department as many people’s lives would change for the better.
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Daily News