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24

M U T

S P I R I T

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J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 2 0

The National Development

Plan (NDP) is South Africa’s

blueprint of what the country

wants to achieve by 2030 and

how this will be achieved. One

aspect is addressing food

insecurity through agriculture

and rural development. The

Department of Community

Extension at MUT has long

been working with the

community through various

agricultural projects aimed at

capacitating members of the

Umlazi Township in correct

agricultural practices that will

aid in growing crops for food.

To continue these efforts

against food insecurity, Xolile Mkhize,

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community

Extension, hosted a delegation from the Let’s Food

Cities organisation as part of their visit to Durban

to conduct a study on the Durban food system.

According to its website, Let’s Food Cities is a French

NGO which works to “raise awareness for and support

local governments around the world as they pursue

a shift to sustainable, territory-based food systems,

using international cooperation between cities as

leverage”.

The study in Durban is part of a bigger project by

the French NGO. Let’s Food Cities has paired seven

French cities to seven cities from Africa, Asia, Latin

America and the Middle East in an effort to reinforce

international partnerships with local governments on

the subject of food and to share experiences. Durban

is paired with the French city of Nantes.

The delegation from France was studying the Durban

food system in order to compile an assessment

report on how cities around the world are looking

at addressing urban food security in a time of rapid

urbanisation. Mkhize was identified as one of the

stakeholders who are part of the City’s programme

in addressing food insecurity. She contributed her

knowledge and expertise to the research, and also

took the delegation on a field tour around various food

Community Extension senior lecturer collaborates with Let’s

Food Cities

Xoli Mkhize, second from left, with French researchers

stakeholders in Umlazi Township who play a major

role in ensuring food access within the township.

Mkhize also led the delegation to the informal

settlements to conduct a situational analysis on

food consumption patterns in relation to strategies

for providing access to food production. “The gap

between the rich and poor is growing, affecting food

security in the city. Access to income is a major factor,”

said Mkhize. “Street vendors are key in accessing

food, as opposed to fresh produce markets. Student

food access is also influenced by those markets,

including the fast food industry.”

The eThekwini Municipality has a responsibility to

address challenges faced by an urbanising society

whilst ensuring the regional food system is functional

and promotes urban agriculture. Umlazi Township is

key to these efforts because a significant part of the

overall municipal population resides in it; and since

the majority of the Umlazi Township population lives

below the poverty line, there is a high level of food

insecurity on the MUT’s doorstep.

Mkhize’s participation in this research collaboration

between Let’s Food Cities and eThekwini Municipality

will ensure that as a major anchor of the city, Umlazi

Township benefits from the City’s efforts.