In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Food & Trees for Africa launched a ‘Grow Your Own campaign to boost food security for the vulnerable citizens of South Africa.
South Africa (09 July 2020) – We have been advocating for a while, the concept of growing your own or at least supporting others to do so. Since the lockdown, we have had a few features of communities who have turned dumping grounds into food gardens or clubbing together to grow food which in turn earned income for everyone.
It has been a tough time, and food parcels are not sustainable for the long-term damages the pandemic and lockdown may cause. The food parcels were perfect as a short-term solution, but they lack nutrients which are required in a balanced diet. This is where a vegetable garden could come in handy!
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) saw this as a problem and quickly stepped in to offer the solution. They started the ‘Grow Your Own’ initiative to answer the call for sustainable aid.
FTFA is a leading NPO / PBO in South Africa that addresses food security and environmental sustainability through tree planting and greening, food gardens, permaculture, education and skills training, climate action, and more. The organisation was founded 30 years ago and has seen promising growth in South Africa.
At the end of April, they invited families, individuals, organisations and communities to apply for seeds and seedling support to start their own vegetable gardens.
The FTFA Action Plan
During South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown, millions of people have gone to sleep hungry – a situation that is likely to get worse. The nation-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus has pushed millions of families into food insecurity. A recent study by the Human Sciences Research Council found that up to 30% of the country experienced hunger during lockdown. This number could increase as rising unemployment means people can’t afford food.
In response to this crisis, FTFA invited people to to help them grow their own vegetables and bolster their food security. So far, it has distributed more than 113,900 seedlings as part of its Grow-Your-Own Initiative.
FTFA is a leading development organisation that focuses on food security, urban greening and environmental sustainability. With its 30 years of experience, the organisation aims to build resilience in the country’s food systems and ensure that people can access healthy food.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the faultlines in global food systems. “As the coronavirus crisis unfolds, disruptions in domestic food supply chains and other shocks affecting food production, and loss of incomes and remittances are creating strong tensions and food security risks in many countries,” according to the World Bank.
Community-based food production – a sector which FTFA has been actively developing for decades – is one way to grow resilience in a country’s food system. The need for this resilience is even more important during a pandemic.
“Grow-Your-Own Initiative is our response to COVID-19,” says Emily Jones, programme manager at FTFA. The programme was specifically developed to respond to the needs of South Africa during this crisis, leveraging FTFA’s expertise in food security and supply networks.
So far, the initiative has reached communities across the country, from Mitchells Plein in the Western Cape to Thohoyandou in Limpopo.
“We sent out an application form for seeds and seedlings to farmers, households, and anyone who needed them, at the beginning of lockdown,” Jones explains.
This call yielded more than 4,000 applicants and the organisation continues to assess applications, matching them with funding where possible. The organisation continues to work during the pandemic to boost resilience in the country’s food system.
If you’d like to help us support farmers across the country through Grow Your Own donate here. You can apply for seed and seedling support here and stay up to date on successful projects as well as helpful gardening tips via Facebook here.
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