Food security and job creation initiative to be launched in Emalahleni Local Municipality

27 August 2021

Mpumalanga Premier Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and the MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (DARDLEA) Mr Mandla Msibi will launch the Agricultural Food Basket Initiative at Siyancoba Community Project. This is part of the Provincial Government’s Masibuyele Emasimini flagship programme now called Phezukomkhono Mlimi to use fallow fields to fight hunger and poverty through the massification of crop production especially food crops.

This will be the second launch of the programme, after the eManzana initiative in Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality, in the Gert Sibande District. The initiative seeks to improve the food and nutritional security of vulnerable households in rural, urban and peri-urban areas of the Province amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Siyancoba project is located at a Leeupoort Farm in Klarinet and was established through a donation of a 7 hectares of land to be used by a local community for food production. The project will create multiple jobs for women and the youth. Through this initiative, the Provincial Government will provide infrastructure, production inputs, mechanization support, training, extension and advisory support services.

Details of the launch are as follows:

	Monday, 30 August 2021
	09:00
	Klarinet, Emalahleni Local Municipality

The media is invited.

For RSVP contact Ms. Zanele Shabangu on 072 089 9556 ((A) Head of Communications - DARDLEA) or Ms Sibongile Mkani-Mpolweni (Premier’s Spokesperson) on 082 967 2138.

ENDS…

Issued by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government Enquiries: Ms. Zanele Shabangu: (A) Head of Communications - DARDLEA Tel: 013 766 5133 Mobile: 072 089 9556 E-mail: shabanguzj@mpg.gov.za Mr. George Mthethwa: (A) Provincial Government Spokesperson Tel: 013 766 2242 Mobile: 083 302 2774 E-mail: gpmthethwa@mpg.gov.za