Seedlings benefit Gamalakhe residents

Under the theme ‘One Home, One Garden’, Ray Nkonyeni Municipality hosted the RNM Youth Agripreneur Summit, Roadshow and Fun Walk in Gamalakhe last Friday.

The municipality’s leadership visited different wards, giving seedlings to people who were keen on starting their own gardens.

RNM mayor, Zodwa Mzindle, said they embarked on the initiative after seeing that people needed gardens to survive.

“We have seen that most people are not working. They come to you asking for food or a job. We believe that a garden can, in a way, solve both of these problems. So, as the municipality, we came out to give seedlings to the people of Gamalakhe. We also brought the Department of Agriculture, which will allocate a mentor to the area. These mentors will monitor the work done in the gardens and assist them where needed,” she said.

Mzindle added that they were also trying to encourage Gamalakhe residents to share their seedlings with neighbours who also want to start their own gardens.

She said they are also encouraging people to teach each other how to plant vegetables and so forth.

“We grew up where neighbours asked each other for salt, onions and everything you can think of. No one went hungry while they had a neighbour, and that is what we are here to encourage,” she said.

Meanwhile, encouraging young people to venture into farming, Ayanda Zulu of Wenzokuhle Farming, said they are urging people not to ignore farming.

“As black people, we know that farming has always been our thing, but nowadays, we realise that people are shying away from it,” she said.

Zulu explained that wanting to be a farmer requires one to have a good mindset.

“Tell yourself that I want this, and I will do it. You need to be determined because the weather can sometimes bring you down, and you end up losing the time. If you look at the white farmers, you will realise how they stick with farming. As long as people and land still exist, agriculture will always be relevant,” she said.

She said starting capital, which is not easy to get, is the biggest challenge for farmers.

” Farming needs money to buy things such as seedlings, cows and more. But I always say, start and you will get things along the way. This is mostly because there are organisations that assist young people in achieving their goals. But, they only help people who they can see doing something,” said Zulu.

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