Hunger eating away at the city

17 December 2014 - 02:11 By Olebogeng Molatlhwa
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MUCH-NEEDED HELP: Striking miners line up for food parcels delivered at the St Mark church in Marikana by the South African Food Bank this week
MUCH-NEEDED HELP: Striking miners line up for food parcels delivered at the St Mark church in Marikana by the South African Food Bank this week
Image: Picture: AFP

As many as 42% of the people of Johannesburg are either hungry or at risk of going hungry.

In the richest city in Africa, nearly half of all residents are "food-insecure", frequently going without at least one meal on between three and 10 days a month.

According to the City of Johannesburg's food resilience policy - its plan for fighting hunger across the metro - food insecurity is concentrated in "the southern urban fringe", in places such as Orange Farm.

It is "severe" in the inner city and in Alexandra township, in the north.

According to the council, 27% of Johannesburg's population is food-insecure but the percentage of those regularly staring hunger in the face increases to 42% in the poorest neighborhoods.

There are fears that this situation puts the city's development at risk.

Adding to the food woes are significant obstacles to a thriving urban agricultural industry.

Packing houses at which small groups can prepare produce for distribution do not exist "in any significant way" and markets are not geared to support small producers.

The food resilience policy is intended to:

  • Enable small-scale local food production for consumption by the producers and for sale to small and large buyers;
  • Make available means to grow food in backyards, on rooftops and in open spaces;
  • Ensure the availability of healthy food throughout the city, at affordable prices; and
  • Provide cheaper fresh basic foods through "people's restaurants". Based on a Brazilian model, these restaurants would sell prepared meals at R7 to R10 each, based on 2011-2012 prices.

The city says its plans offer food producers a "hand-up" and not a "hand-out".

"The beneficiaries will be expected to make some form of investment, including sweat equity, to be eligible for assistance," the council says.

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