On Thursday, we had the privilege of hosting the Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, at our national office in Cape Town, just ahead of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Her visit sparked a meaningful conversation around the critical issue of food insecurity and malnutrition in South Africa.

Led by our Chairperson, Crispin Son, and Managing Director, Andy Du Plessis, Ms Ramokgopa was given a tour of our warehouse to see the work we’re doing, followed by a visit to our food garden where we shared the impact made by our Food Gardens Connect programme, which empowers communities to grow their own food.

During the visit, MEC Ramokgopa emphasised the importance of addressing hunger as a foundational issue for many South Africans.

“… The most fundamental is the right to food, the right to shelter and the right to personal safety. These are basic human needs.

“Before you can type your CV and go looking for a job, you’ve got to be fed. Before you can sit in a classroom and get your right to education, you can’t get that on an empty stomach,” she said, highlighting the link between food security, education, and economic opportunity.

She also highlighted the role government can play in addressing food waste, saying: “One of the things we need to do is advocate for legislation that either completely outlaws food waste or puts very clear prescriptions on how food waste is to be handled.”

The conversation was encouraging, highlighting the potential for NGOs and government to work together to tackle food insecurity on a larger scale. We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with MEC Ramokgopa to address food insecurity across the country and create lasting change for vulnerable South Africans.