The Covid-19 lockdown has presented unprecedented social challenges that may linger for many years. The greatest of these is food security.

This, according to sub-council 1 chairperson Nora Grose, who for this reason has launched the West Coast Covid-19 Relief Fund in April.

“The purpose of this project was primarily to raise funds to procure dry ingredients to support vulnerable households from Melkbos up to Kalbaskraal with food parcels,” she explained. “After more than 23 tons of food in the form of dry ingredients were distributed we realised more must be done to enhance the food relief project.”

This gave rise to the idea of establishing neighbourhood farms.

Grose engaged with the local farmer’s community, and the first farmer approached allocated a portion of his land for establishing a vegetable farm.

She said: “The hard work started; land had to be prepared, irrigation laid, beds prepared and seeds and seedling had to be procured, all this over a few weeks, and we were able to put the first seeds into the soil,”

Grose, whose role is clearly hands-on, says if all goes well the first harvest will likely be reaped in mid-October, with the knowledge and assistance of experienced commercial farmers making it a success.