My experience staying in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo has been the greatest teacher, as the saying goes.
Recent statistics show Gauteng to be the biggest province, with a population of 15 million people.
The Western Cape has the largest population of coloured people, while black Africans are in the minority.
The cost of living in this province is one of the highest among the three cited and perhaps in the entire country.
Landlessness of black people is the greatest trigger of the soaring cost of living. As common sense dictates, if you strip people of their land, you take away their identity and their wealth.
Many of the conflicts we face on Earth are hinged on land –the importance of land is unquestionable.
The poverty of black people in SA and many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa is inevitably linked to landlessness. The migration of many black people to urban areas has birthed landlessness and, by implication, poverty.
The level of poverty in the Western Cape attests to that. Gauteng is also affected but is far better than the Western Cape in terms of survival, at least for black people. It’s more expensive to buy food such as in vegetables and fruits in the Western Cape than to buy junk food.
This provides answers to the apparent rising levels of obesity among black people in urban areas, and the dearth of none genetically modified food. Limpopo, especially the rural areas of Tzaneen and Vhembe, presents a different scenario.
Availability of land from the traditional leaders encourages ease of access to wealth and food production. One must, however, caution that traditional leaders still need education to avoid selling land to capitalists like real estate for a penny, else the suffering of black people will continue.
For now, there is still some land available for black people in most parts of the rural areas. A piece of land in some regions may sell from R1,500 to R5,000 or even less. As a result, many people are involved in small-scale farming.
Limpopo is rated as one of the poorest provinces based on its rural nature and lack of infrastructure. However, rural Limpopo boasts an availability of land, which accounts for why many people can still build houses without borrowing from the banks.
Black people are not only able to build houses of their own, but also produce fresh fruits and vegetables primarily for household consumption, but even for selling. Malnutrition has become one of the rarest diseases, though it does exist on a small scale.
Agriculture is one of the potential economic backbones of Limpopo for residents. In some parts, there are small-scale farmers who struggle to connect with markets, for several reasons.
In an area where all residents are involved in small-scale farming, no one buys from the other. Though unemployment exists in the province, the availability of land and the ability of citizens to farm on a small scale, makes it easier for people to survive.
Giving back land to the people and assisting them to realise its potential is more urgent than ever. Also, our people must start considering rural regions as sources of wealth and return to them to the land.
We need to teach young people to start appreciating agriculture as a lucrative career. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us that agriculture is the way to go. While many people lost jobs in the cities, people in rural areas had the luxury to till the land in their backyards.
People were able to discover the beauty of farming and the ability to produce their own food. Small-scale farming is one of the best ways to promote self-employment while boosting food security.
SA’s story is not all bad; there are small pockets of victory. Food shortage and hunger can be alleviated through food production programs. Instead of immigration to urban areas, exacerbating poverty levels, let people in rural areas produce food. Of course, the political environment has to be an enabling one.
■ Nodoba is a lecturer in media studies at the University of Venda. She writes in her personal capacity.
TODANI NODOBA | Migration to urban areas is not the solution with opportunity in rural areas
Investing in agriculture can boost food security and lift people out of poverty
Image: Supplied
My experience staying in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo has been the greatest teacher, as the saying goes.
Recent statistics show Gauteng to be the biggest province, with a population of 15 million people.
The Western Cape has the largest population of coloured people, while black Africans are in the minority.
The cost of living in this province is one of the highest among the three cited and perhaps in the entire country.
Landlessness of black people is the greatest trigger of the soaring cost of living. As common sense dictates, if you strip people of their land, you take away their identity and their wealth.
Many of the conflicts we face on Earth are hinged on land –the importance of land is unquestionable.
The poverty of black people in SA and many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa is inevitably linked to landlessness. The migration of many black people to urban areas has birthed landlessness and, by implication, poverty.
The level of poverty in the Western Cape attests to that. Gauteng is also affected but is far better than the Western Cape in terms of survival, at least for black people. It’s more expensive to buy food such as in vegetables and fruits in the Western Cape than to buy junk food.
This provides answers to the apparent rising levels of obesity among black people in urban areas, and the dearth of none genetically modified food. Limpopo, especially the rural areas of Tzaneen and Vhembe, presents a different scenario.
Availability of land from the traditional leaders encourages ease of access to wealth and food production. One must, however, caution that traditional leaders still need education to avoid selling land to capitalists like real estate for a penny, else the suffering of black people will continue.
For now, there is still some land available for black people in most parts of the rural areas. A piece of land in some regions may sell from R1,500 to R5,000 or even less. As a result, many people are involved in small-scale farming.
Limpopo is rated as one of the poorest provinces based on its rural nature and lack of infrastructure. However, rural Limpopo boasts an availability of land, which accounts for why many people can still build houses without borrowing from the banks.
Black people are not only able to build houses of their own, but also produce fresh fruits and vegetables primarily for household consumption, but even for selling. Malnutrition has become one of the rarest diseases, though it does exist on a small scale.
Agriculture is one of the potential economic backbones of Limpopo for residents. In some parts, there are small-scale farmers who struggle to connect with markets, for several reasons.
In an area where all residents are involved in small-scale farming, no one buys from the other. Though unemployment exists in the province, the availability of land and the ability of citizens to farm on a small scale, makes it easier for people to survive.
Giving back land to the people and assisting them to realise its potential is more urgent than ever. Also, our people must start considering rural regions as sources of wealth and return to them to the land.
We need to teach young people to start appreciating agriculture as a lucrative career. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic taught us that agriculture is the way to go. While many people lost jobs in the cities, people in rural areas had the luxury to till the land in their backyards.
People were able to discover the beauty of farming and the ability to produce their own food. Small-scale farming is one of the best ways to promote self-employment while boosting food security.
SA’s story is not all bad; there are small pockets of victory. Food shortage and hunger can be alleviated through food production programs. Instead of immigration to urban areas, exacerbating poverty levels, let people in rural areas produce food. Of course, the political environment has to be an enabling one.
■ Nodoba is a lecturer in media studies at the University of Venda. She writes in her personal capacity.
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