This follows after farmers in drought-stricken areas of the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape provinces made urgent requests for drought relief after they have been faced with severe drought for about six to nine years. The national drought disaster declaration was published on Tuesday 20 July by Dr Mmaphaka Tau, head of the National Disaster Management Centre. Agri SA welcomes this declaration and says in a statement that further assistance is urgently needed to stabilise local economies and preserve what is left of core breeding herds. Farmers and communities have also received continuous aid from the private sector, donors and ordinary people. Dr Tau has also called on state organs to strengthen existing structures and activate contingency plans to address the disaster. Meanwhile, Agri SA, in collaboration with Agri Western Cape, Agri Eastern Cape and Agri Northern Cape, launched a drought project this month due to the critical drought conditions experienced by agricultural communities. This project showcases touching stories of farmers that give a human perspective on the disaster.

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Well-known Bloemfontein food security activist, Thabo Olivier, is on his way to Mozambique, spreading his programme across South African borders. The 52-year-old has been invited to teach refugees in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Maputo to grow their own vegetable gardens. Olivier was contacted by the Methodist Bishop, Dinis Matsolo, in May this year to come to the country and help to ensure food security by training its people to grow their own vegetable gardens. Bishop Matsolo highlighted in his letter to Olivier that the instability and conflict in the northern province of Cabo Delgado has lead to an influx of refugees to other regions and provinces of the country, thus resulting in humanitarian crisis with many needing food, sanitation, accommodation and social cohesion. OFM News spoke to Olivier before his departure. The Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein has joined hands with Olivier. CUT's Zelda Uwah says that this was an easy decision as food security is also of importance to the university. Olivier will be leaving for Mozambique on Wednesday 21 July.

OFM News