Source: Bizcommunity, 31 March 2021, photo credit: istock.com/leonori/Farm Flavour
Agri SA launched its 2021 Surplus Food Aid Campaign at the Johannesburg Market on 31 March. Collaborating with the Mike Loutfie Foundation, Total South Africa and the RSA Group, the first campaign for 2021 includes a total of R110,000 in donations and an estimated 30 tonnes of fresh produce.
Beneficiaries will receive hampers consisting of nutritious, quality fresh produce – something households in difficult circumstances can often ill afford.
“It’s a huge privilege for Agri SA to be associated with business partners like Total South Africa, Mike Loutfie Foundation and the RSA Group, who care so much for communities in need.
“The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are still felt daily and the need for nutritious food is a harsh reality. Agri SA has since the start of the pandemic reached out to families and communities across South Africa in need and delivered almost 400 tonnes of healthy food in 2020,” said Andrea Campher, Agri SA risk and disaster manager.
One of the beneficiaries is the organisation Afrika Tikkun. Total South Africa has been partnering with them for the past six years, supporting their Child and Youth Development Programme.
Afrika Tikkun’s vision is an end to child poverty and youth unemployment. The organisation implements its award-winning Cradle-to-Career (C2C) 360° model in five townships across South Africa. This holistic approach, which focuses on education, nutrition, health, social welfare, personal development and skills development, is designed to nourish a young life into a self-confident adult capable of accessing the economy.
Alex Meulenberg, Afrika Tikkun CEO, highlights their focus on nutrition: “As food security took on a new urgency in 2020, we widened our partnership base to assist vulnerable families to access nutritious food. In this way, we move closer to making The Right to Food a reality.”
The food parcels will be distributed to all four Afrika Tikkun centres, namely Orange Farm, Diepsloot, Braamfontein and Alexandra.
“The Mike Loutfie Foundation, at the heart of the fresh produce industry, is excited to continue its partnership with Agri SA to provide real and immediate food relief where it’s most needed,” says Jade van Buuren, operations manager.
The continuing Covid-19 pandemic, along with South Africa’s general economic difficulties, continues to present significant nutritional challenges to many. It is positive collaborations like these that create real impact through caring about the health and wellness of our vulnerable citizens.
The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
