A wide network of volunteers in the Schweizer-Reneke area has ensured that over 3 000 12,5kg bags of maize meal have been distributed.
Jozeph du Plessis, a fifth-generation farmer in Schweizer-Reneke, North West, has witnessed the expansion of the area’s townships, and with it increasing levels of poverty.
“There are fewer and fewer employment opportunities and so many people without any form of income. We couldn’t sit by while people were going hungry, so we started a project to distribute maize meal,” he says.
For the last decade, Du Plessis has been part of a group of 20 farmers who donate maize to agricultural ministries in the area. When South Africa went into hard lockdown in 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19, the farmers ramped up this project and in May began sending maize to Suidwes Landbou for milling. The maize meal, packed in 12,5kg bags, was distributed to people who had no income and did not receive government grants. These were the only criteria used to decide on the beneficiaries, who live in Schweizer-Reneke, Ipelegeng, Migdol, and Amalia.
Du Plessis notes that care is taken to distribute the maize meal without creating a dependency on it. “We keep records of who has received maize meal, and since it is only given to those who really need it, the list changes every month depending on the circumstances of the families.”
A wide circle of community members assists in identifying the needy and distributing the maize accordingly. These include members of Amos Agri Ministries Schweizer-Reneke and NG Moedergemeente Schweizer-Reneke, a school principal and his wife from Migdol, and social workers from Amalia. So far, the project has assisted hundreds of households.
Esta historia es de la edición January 1-8, 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 1-8, 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
