Farmers together with internal and external stakeholders in the outer west region were trained on building resilient community food systems in a bid to enhance food security and nutrition.

THE CITY’S Agro-Ecology Unit recently facilitated training on building resilient community food systems in the eThekwini region. The training took place at the Inchanga Agricultural Hub from 2 to 6 August and forms part of a comprehensive programme aimed at empowering internal and external stakeholders as well as small-scale emerging farmers in food production and systems. The programme started in January this year. The training was conducted by a lecturer from the
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at the University of Erasmus in the Netherlands in partnership with the Southern Africa Food Lab. The programme saw a focus on equipping participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to build resilient community food systems. Throughout the training,
discussions centered on the current state of the City’s food system and the challenges it faces.

This includes the lack of partnership and collaboration among stakeholders. Noma Nene, a Senior Horticulturist who oversee Community Gardens and Farming Services within the Agro-Ecology Unit said: “The success of the training was evident as diverse representatives from various sectors gathered under one roof, sharing a common vision of a productive and resilient local food system. Participants were awarded with certificates of attendance by the Institute for Housing
and Urban Development Studies from the University of Erasmus. The certificate was an acknowledgment of their completion of the programme.”