Date: 17/10/2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mosunkutu: World Food Day
Keynote address of M Khabisi Mosunkutu, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, at the World Food Day function held at the Palm Ridge Community Hall, Palm Ridge
Programme Director, Mr Sipho Thanjekwayo
Leaders of political organisations
Members of Mayoral Committees present
Representatives of community-based organisations
Faith-based organisations
Non-governmental organisations present
People of Ekurhuleni
Invited guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I feel honoured to be with you here today and to say a few words in recognition of the significance of this occasion.
Today, 17 October, people across the globe are gathered in various formations to observe a day declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations as the International Day for Poverty Alleviation.
Our coming together in this fashion, guided by the 2005 United Nations' theme 'Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - empowering the poorest of the poor' we indeed are in sync with the international community.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity and I must thank the organisers of this function for giving us the privilege.
Today's occasion is not a day of pompous revelry, rather it is a day of sombre rededication -to rededicate our energies to what easily qualifies as one of the greatest causes on earth - the liberation of mankind from the cold and brutish clutches of poverty. With 11% of our own population, according to United Nations' statistics, living below $1 a day none of us can afford to sit back and make merry.
Indeed, as officials in the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, we are tackling the central challenge of poverty alleviation with the required vigour. Our revamped agricultural strategy not only focuses on the development of the agricultural business sector to further contribute to the socio-economic development of the province, but we also are gravely concerned with the development of agriculture at grass-roots level to help fight poverty. Yes, in line with the United Nations" declaration, to us "Eradicating poverty is an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind".
Driven by this simple conviction and by our provincial strategic objective of building healthy and productive communities, we have set ourselves the target of benefiting, during this financial year, 9 000 households through our Household Food Security Projects. Already 20 000 households have benefited from the same programme between October 2004 and March 2005. Up to R4 000 per beneficiary per project is allocated by the department.
Earlier in my brief input I hinted at the fact that such an occasion is not a moment for patting our backs. It is rather an occasion to properly utilise to chart a clear way forward - towards the realisation of the Millennium Development Goal of "reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day; and reducing by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger".
Very clearly, government alone cannot achieve these goals. Members of civil society have a critical role to play. One such contribution would be for members of society to identify commonages in their areas. We may need to engage our municipalities to allow us to utilise these pieces of land - on the basis of this, we will then be able to roll-out household food security projects. Business also has a role to play. They too can contribute by, among others, donating seeds and other required implements.
It is only through such partnerships that we can help advance our country’s instalment of the Millennium Development Goals.
In conclusion, I wish to leave you with the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi who once observed that "there are people in the world so hungry that God can appear to them except in the form of bread". I hope that these words will help further inspire us all to contribute to this godly, ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng Provincial Government
17 October 2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mosunkutu: World Food Day
Keynote address of M Khabisi Mosunkutu, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, at the World Food Day function held at the Palm Ridge Community Hall, Palm Ridge
Programme Director, Mr Sipho Thanjekwayo
Leaders of political organisations
Members of Mayoral Committees present
Representatives of community-based organisations
Faith-based organisations
Non-governmental organisations present
People of Ekurhuleni
Invited guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I feel honoured to be with you here today and to say a few words in recognition of the significance of this occasion.
Today, 17 October, people across the globe are gathered in various formations to observe a day declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations as the International Day for Poverty Alleviation.
Our coming together in this fashion, guided by the 2005 United Nations' theme 'Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - empowering the poorest of the poor' we indeed are in sync with the international community.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity and I must thank the organisers of this function for giving us the privilege.
Today's occasion is not a day of pompous revelry, rather it is a day of sombre rededication -to rededicate our energies to what easily qualifies as one of the greatest causes on earth - the liberation of mankind from the cold and brutish clutches of poverty. With 11% of our own population, according to United Nations' statistics, living below $1 a day none of us can afford to sit back and make merry.
Indeed, as officials in the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, we are tackling the central challenge of poverty alleviation with the required vigour. Our revamped agricultural strategy not only focuses on the development of the agricultural business sector to further contribute to the socio-economic development of the province, but we also are gravely concerned with the development of agriculture at grass-roots level to help fight poverty. Yes, in line with the United Nations" declaration, to us "Eradicating poverty is an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind".
Driven by this simple conviction and by our provincial strategic objective of building healthy and productive communities, we have set ourselves the target of benefiting, during this financial year, 9 000 households through our Household Food Security Projects. Already 20 000 households have benefited from the same programme between October 2004 and March 2005. Up to R4 000 per beneficiary per project is allocated by the department.
Earlier in my brief input I hinted at the fact that such an occasion is not a moment for patting our backs. It is rather an occasion to properly utilise to chart a clear way forward - towards the realisation of the Millennium Development Goal of "reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day; and reducing by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger".
Very clearly, government alone cannot achieve these goals. Members of civil society have a critical role to play. One such contribution would be for members of society to identify commonages in their areas. We may need to engage our municipalities to allow us to utilise these pieces of land - on the basis of this, we will then be able to roll-out household food security projects. Business also has a role to play. They too can contribute by, among others, donating seeds and other required implements.
It is only through such partnerships that we can help advance our country’s instalment of the Millennium Development Goals.
In conclusion, I wish to leave you with the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi who once observed that "there are people in the world so hungry that God can appear to them except in the form of bread". I hope that these words will help further inspire us all to contribute to this godly, ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng Provincial Government
17 October 2005
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