kaspaas
Expert Member
Due to my work, I get in strange places.
About 2 years ago, I was in Cabinda, Angola on the land side operation of a oil field.
The locals were hungry and suffered from malnutrition.
But on site there were Filipino welders. They were not satisfied with the chilies available, and started their own chili bed - with some other veggies. Within weeks, they very handing out chillies and veggies.
Why couldn't the locals do the same.
At the moment I'm in Kazakhstan in a mining town in the north west of the country. The town is quite poor - typical nett income would be around the equivalent of about R2500-R3000 per month. The weather is terrible - 300mm rain a year, snow by the meter in winter with temperatures down to -40C (averages at about -20C during the day), in summer it goes up to +45C. But the locals are growing veggies in their gardens - quite often less than 5x5m. I believe many of them are quite self sufficient.
I found the following on NUMSA's website: (http://www.numsa.org.za/article.php?cat=&id=572)
implement our national water resource strategy, by promoting collection of rainwater and development of household vegetable gardening for food security. "Draft ANC Policy Resolutions By: NUMSA on October 31, 2002 "
I don't see much happening about this.
A lot of work has been done across the world on intensive vegetable gardening (do the search on Google). It is not rocket science or capital intensive, but requires diligent attention to detail, and some hard work. The basics is quite simple: Dig a trench the size of a double door about 2 feet deep. Fill the bottom with organic material. Fill back trench with mixture of soil and compost (if available). Plant, water, weed and cultivate. If done correctly, such a bed could provide a variety of veggies for a small family.
I wish for the day I could see all the unemployed in South Africa next to their well tended micro veggie gardens, even if it provides only a small part of their daily food needs.
If the Filipino contract workers in Angola could supplement their diet and the Kazakh people where I'm at present can do the same, why can't it happen in South Africa as well.
About 2 years ago, I was in Cabinda, Angola on the land side operation of a oil field.
The locals were hungry and suffered from malnutrition.
But on site there were Filipino welders. They were not satisfied with the chilies available, and started their own chili bed - with some other veggies. Within weeks, they very handing out chillies and veggies.
Why couldn't the locals do the same.
At the moment I'm in Kazakhstan in a mining town in the north west of the country. The town is quite poor - typical nett income would be around the equivalent of about R2500-R3000 per month. The weather is terrible - 300mm rain a year, snow by the meter in winter with temperatures down to -40C (averages at about -20C during the day), in summer it goes up to +45C. But the locals are growing veggies in their gardens - quite often less than 5x5m. I believe many of them are quite self sufficient.
I found the following on NUMSA's website: (http://www.numsa.org.za/article.php?cat=&id=572)
implement our national water resource strategy, by promoting collection of rainwater and development of household vegetable gardening for food security. "Draft ANC Policy Resolutions By: NUMSA on October 31, 2002 "
I don't see much happening about this.
A lot of work has been done across the world on intensive vegetable gardening (do the search on Google). It is not rocket science or capital intensive, but requires diligent attention to detail, and some hard work. The basics is quite simple: Dig a trench the size of a double door about 2 feet deep. Fill the bottom with organic material. Fill back trench with mixture of soil and compost (if available). Plant, water, weed and cultivate. If done correctly, such a bed could provide a variety of veggies for a small family.
I wish for the day I could see all the unemployed in South Africa next to their well tended micro veggie gardens, even if it provides only a small part of their daily food needs.
If the Filipino contract workers in Angola could supplement their diet and the Kazakh people where I'm at present can do the same, why can't it happen in South Africa as well.
