World Food Day was commemorated on Friday (16/10) under the theme Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow. The commemoration highlighted the role of innovation in improving agricultural production, building resilient food systems and ensuring sustainable access to food.

North West was selected to host the national event because of food security challenges in parts of the province, as highlighted in the Food and Nutrition Security Survey Report. Agriculture minister Willie Aucamp and North West MEC for agriculture and rural development Madoda Sambatha led the event.

The Eastern Cape’s communal maize farming project, the Mcambalala Maize Project, has expanded, demonstrating the possibility of investing in up-and-coming farmers to increase food production, generate employment and strengthen local economies. 

The project is being expanded to 350 ha for the upcoming planting season, with the potential to generate about 2,450 metric tons of maize, valued at about R10m. Initially, it supported 70 farmers growing 50 ha of community land.

“One of the biggest barriers is the gap between having agricultural potential and being able to turn it into a sustainable farming business,” said The Original Grain Company managing director, Ryan New. “Investment in local agriculture needs to bring these elements all together.

“It should help farmers get into production, build their skills, and then be able to sell what they grow. Food security also depends on households being able to afford that food, and supporting livelihoods is an important part of this picture.

The Mcambalala Maize Project team with some of the local community members and stakeholders. Photo supplied

“Technology is another area where we can input into the farming cycle to improve the output and yields. For us, the assistance that we need, and others would need when it comes to local government as well as corporates, is about applying impact funding or CSI funding towards agriculture.

“Local government’s involvement and working with them to assist us in cutting any red tape can allow the project to move quickly, because we have very strict windows of planting as well as harvesting.”

The company hopes to expand similar initiatives beyond the Eastern Cape, with other potential projects in the pipeline.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame sm

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