Efforts to enhance food security, and to reduce the price of food in the shops are continuing, according to Manto Tshabalala Msimang who heads the social cluster of ministers, and now South Africa has been asked to develop a similar programme for the whole of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc).

Reporting to a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday the health minister said the cluster hopes to finalise the programme for Sadc before the next summit meeting of the 15 member group next year.

In South Africa, she said 15 765 production packages have been distributed among the most food insecure and vulnerable communities. Food gardens have been established in 6390 schools.

"We are accelerating our plans regarding the implementation of the national school nutrition programme, with over six million children receiving meals in more than 18 000 schools," she said.

Tshabalala-Msimang also said that the first three 'Telefood' projects have been implemented in this country with backing from the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The projects involve television teaching on agricultural subjects and interactive sessions with other farmers.

The minister told her audience that the cluster is accelerating its interventions for farmer support focussing mainly on areas of large concentrations of farm dwellers and those with high eviction rates.

Eleven farmers were settled in the first four months of the year in schemes to revive state and state-supported community schemes.

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