As winter season draw nearer, and more crops will be harvested, the period between winter and spring is not an easy one having noted that heavy rains that poured from December 2020 to February 2021 caused huge damages.

It is very critical that people be equipped with something that will enable them to sustain their lively hoods until the next planting season begins in summer.

It was against this background that the Honorable Mayor of Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality, Cllr JM Mbele visited the Cornfields community on the 19th March 2021, in Ward 19 together with Department of Agricultural and Rural development.

The main objective according to the mayor was to provide agricultural support services to households identified through war room intervention in order to ensure sustainable development and management of their subsistence farming and through a one home one garden programme launched by the MEC Champion, Hon: Nomsa Dube-Ncube in August 2021, the government seeks to assist and encourage families to take up gardening so as to fight the problem of food insecurity.

The Mayor Cllr J.M Mbhele handed over 10 JoJo tanks and 10 set of gardening tools, that included Hoes, forks, rakes, and spades to 10 beneficiaries. The Mayor then made a plea while encourage the beneficiaries to make sure that their gardens are properly cared for as they have been provided with suitable equipment’s now.

Agriculture is an important source of livelihood “she explained”. This entails hard work, but it contributes to the nation’s food safety and health. Agriculture was the sole backbone of the economy prior to the industrial revolution. It has proven to be the most reliable source of life for humanity, as well as one of the honest sources of income.

Major parts of the population from developing countries rely for their livelihood on agriculture. In attendance with the Mayor were Ms. Thenjiswa Ngaye from Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Estcourt Service Office, Extension officers and ward committees and OSS representative.

Filled with a sense of jubilation, a ward committee member steps to the and thanked the Mayor and Agriculture and OSS for such a valuable contribution to the wellbeing of the people in their ward.

The beneficiaries promised to do gardening even more effectively as they will now have safe storage of water harvested from the natural rainfall and also they wishes one day to have their own mini market where their produce can be sold for profit.