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Woolworths donates R3m for World Food Day
In honour of World Food Day, 16 October 2014, Woolworths has been donating R3 million towards sustainable food security during the course of the year via the EduPlant programme and staff volunteer days at 17 underprivileged schools countrywide during September and October. Of the R3m, R2.6m has gone to the EduPlant national schools' permaculture food gardening programme.
Founded by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Day highlights issues of food security and global hunger. This year's theme, 'Family Farming: Feed the world, caring for the earth', aims to focus attention on the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and better nutrition, improving livelihoods and managing natural resources.
"Good food, produced in sustainable ways, is at the core of our business," said Zinzi Mgolodela, Head of Transformation at Woolworths. "That's why we have made a long-term commitment to improving food security in South Africa by increasing communities' access to sustainable agricultural practices and resources.
"Over the years, we have seen first-hand how establishing sustainable food systems at schools not only provides children with nutritious food but also serves as a driver of local community development, transformation to sustainable living and entrepreneurship through selling surplus produce. Furthermore, by integrating the programme into the school curriculum, we are inculcating in learners the vital skill of growing nutritious food sustainably.
"Many of the EduPlant schools have also found means of producing food, while protecting natural ecosystems and sustaining biodiversity. In this way, they have become repositories of vital expertise and experience.
"One of the critical success factors of the EduPlant programme is sustainable partnerships - rallying communities, learners, educators and Woolies employees to help 'feed the world & care of the earth' through permaculture principles ensures the sustainable impact of the programme which talks directly to this year's theme," concludes Mgolodela.
EduPlant and Food & Trees for Africa's founder, Jeunesse Park said, "Our long-term partnership with Woolworths has enabled us to contribute meaningfully to community food security throughout the country over the past 20 years. Its monetary donations - and the commitment shown by its staff - have inspired us in our journey towards thriving food secure communities on a sustainable and healthy planet."
