As the commemoration of World Food Day coincided with the planting season, Limpopo Agriculture MEC Nakedi Kekana issued a call to agricultural communities: “As we launch the planting season alongside this commemoration, we call on farmers, cooperatives and communities to till the soil, to plant and to nurture the earth. The rains are coming – and with them, the promise of renewal.”

By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming

Speaking at the 2025 Provincial World Food Day Commemoration in Ga-Molepo, Limpopo on 14 November – postponed from October due to unforeseen circumstances – Kekana emphasised agriculture’s crucial role in addressing food security challenges under the global theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.

Championing Indigenous Agricultural Heritage

The MEC highlighted the importance of traditional crops in sustainable food systems: “Indigenous crops and medicinal plants are part of our heritage and an important source of nutrition and health for our people. The inclusion of these crops as declared agricultural products by the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, marks a turning point in recognising the role of traditional foods in sustainable food systems.”

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“We also acknowledge our partners in the Limpopo Agroecology Network for their efforts to preserve indigenous seeds and crops. This initiative, supported by our national department, ensures that traditional, climate-resilient crops are not lost to modern commercial agriculture,” she added.

Promoting Household Food Production

MEC Kekana emphasised that “our department continues to promote household and community-based food production as a key strategy for food security”. She noted that according to a 2020 Human Sciences Research Council study, “70% of Limpopo households already use land for food production, even if on small plots”.

“Our challenge remains ensuring that these households have access to inputs, skills and support to produce enough food for their families and local markets,” the MEC said. “Through our Food Security Sub-Programme, we support households, schools, community nutrition centres, early childhood development facilities and faith-based organisations to establish and sustain food gardens.”

Mec Nakedi Kekana World Food Day 2_Supplied — World Food Day 2: MEC Nakedi Kekana delivering her speech in Ga-Molepo. Photo: Supplied

Practical Agricultural Interventions

The commemoration delivered tangible agricultural support to communities. “We are distributing food parcels and production inputs to identified vulnerable households, ensuring that this celebration has a tangible impact on the lives of our people,” said MEC Kekana.

A total of 300 indigent households from this community from Tshebela, Bethel, Sebjeng, Mogano, Rampheri, Maphetoane and Boshega villages, who were identified in partnership with local councillors and social workers, each received food parcels and agricultural inputs to help them start their own food gardens and build long-term food resilience.

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The MEC highlighted the Food Mountain showcase, describing it as “a symbol of community self-reliance and collective strength. It reminds us that every household has the potential to produce its own food, reduce dependency and improve nutrition.”

Hands-on Agricultural Demonstrations

During the event, practical agricultural activities such as planting vegetable gardens and a baobab tree at the Molepo Traditional Authority and Mafeta Early Childhood Development Centre were demonstrated.

Furthermore, the department handed over seed packages to 100 indigent households across the province to encourage home-based food production. The Molepo Traditional Authority also received bales of fodder for livestock.

Environmental and Agricultural Integration

The Department’s collaboration with environmental initiatives was showcased through the One Million Trees Programme. “Our department has also worked closely with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment through the One Million Trees Programme, which forms part of the United Nations Environment Programme,” MEC Kekana explained.

“In Boshega Village alone, 728 trees, comprising 627 fruit trees, 100 indigenous trees and one baobab, have been planted. This initiative is not only about greening our province, but also about ensuring sustainable sources of food, shade and environmental restoration. We are proud that the programme has created 12 temporary jobs for members of the Boshega community.”

Economic Impact of Household Food Production

MEC Kekana emphasised the broader economic benefits of household food production: “When families produce their own vegetables, they spend less of their income on food, leaving room for other essential needs like education, healthcare and electricity. This is how we build food-secure, self-sufficient communities from the ground up.”

“Our Constitution, in Section 27(1)(b), guarantees every person the right to have access to sufficient food and water. It is this constitutional imperative that drives our department’s work daily. Food is not a privilege, it is a right, and it is our collective duty to make that right a lived reality for all South Africans.”

The MEC concluded with a vision for the province’s agricultural future: “Together, we can build a Limpopo where every household has access to nutritious food, where our farmers are empowered and where no one is left behind.”

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