Gesamentlike inisiatief betrek skoolleerlinge oor die landbouwaardeketting en selfstandigheid

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AfriForum, Saai en die kantoor van Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi van die Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi Tradisionele Gemeenskap van Disaneng, wes van Mahikeng in die Noordwes, het kragte saamgesnoer om vir leerlinge die geleentheid te skep om te leer oor die landbouwaardeketting en selfstandigheid deur by vier skole binne die gemeenskap bome te plant.

Hierdie inisiatief is geloots met die plant van agt-en-twintig sitrusbome – sewe bome per skool. Sodoende het die leerlinge ook geleer hoe bome geplant en versorg moet word.

“Ons gemeenskap is dankbaar dat die leerlinge die geleentheid kry om die verantwoordelikheid vir die versorging van die bome te dra en om te verstaan dat hulle die bome geplant het en al gaan hulle geen voordeel daaruit trek nie sal dié wat ná hulle kom die vrugte van hul arbeid kan geniet.

“Ons is trots op ons erfenis en ons kulturele identiteit is vir ons belangrik; daarom waardeer ons AfriForum, Saai en Witkrans Sitruskwekery se bydrae om skole in ons gemeenskap, wat na ons koninklike leiers vernoem is, te verbeter,” sê Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi, Kgosi (opperhoof) van die Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi Tradisionele Gemeenskap.

“AfriForum en die Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi het vroeër die jaar bande gesmee en ooreengekom dat daar spesifiek samewerking sal wees in landbou-ontwikkeling en die bevordering van gemeenskapselfstandigheid en selfbestuur; hierdie boomplantprojek vorm deel van die uitvoering van dié ooreenkoms.

Tydens die boomplantaksie het ons aan die kinders die boodskap oorgedra dat elke gemeenskapslid ’n verantwoordelikheid het om binne ons eie gemeenskappe ’n verskil te maak,” sê Nantes Kelder, nasionale projekkoördineerder van Interkulturele Verhoudings en Samewerking by AfriForum. Kelder het ook sy dank uitgespreek teenoor Witkrans Sitruskwekery wat die sitrusbome geskenk het.

“As ’n netwerk vir familieboere is dit vir Saai belangrik dat mense, en veral kinders, verstaan dat die waardeketting, wat verseker dat ons almal kos het om te eet, by primêre produksie begin. Dit is ook belangrik vir kinders om kennis te dra van die welvaartskeppingsmoontlikhede wat landbou bied.

Om bome te plant is nie bloot ’n handeling van omgewingsverbetering nie, dit dien ook as ’n praktiese voorbeeld van ’n beter toekoms wat moontlik is deur samewerking met ’n langtermyn fokus; terwyl dit ook die belofte van sterker en gesonder gemeenskappe in die land inhou,” sê Leon Lourens, ontwikkelingskoördineerder by Saai.

Die vier skole waar die bome geplant is, is vernoem na die huidige en voormalige koninklike leiers van die gemeenskap:

• Mogakolodi Masibi Wetenskap, Kommersiële en Tegniese Skool vernoem na Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi;
• Tshoganyetso Laerskool vernoem Regent Tshoganyetso Masibi (1914-2004), wat namens Kgosi Mogakolodi waargeneem het;
• Methusele II Laerskool vernoem na Kgosi Methusele Masibi (1935-1974), pa van Kgosi Mogakolodi
• Jan Masibi Sekondêre Skool vernoem na Kgosi Jan Masibi (1901-1984), oupa van Kgosi Mogakolodi.

AfriForum en Saai sal die kantoor van Kgosi Masibi ondersteun om van hierdie projek ’n langtermynsukses te maak.

“Die wedersydse erkennings-en-samewerkingsooreenkoms met die Bathlaro Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi en hierdie gesamentlike projek wat daaruit voortgevloei het vorm deel van AfriForum se plan om ’n netwerk van kultuurgemeenskappe te bou wat kan saamwerk om ’n toekoms vir ons almal hier aan die suidpunt van Afrika te verseker,” sluit Kelder af.

Joint initiative teaches pupils about the agricultural value chain and self-sufficiency

AfriForum, Saai and the Office of Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi of the Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi Traditional Community of Disaneng, west of Mahikeng in the North West province, joined hands to provide pupils with the opportunity to learn about the agricultural value chain and self-sufficiency by planting trees at four schools in the community.

This project was launched with the planting of the twenty eight citrus trees – seven trees at each school, This way pupils also learned how to plant and care for the trees.

“Our community is thankful that the pupils are provided with the opportunity to take responsibility for the care of the trees and to understand that they planted the trees, and although they will not benefit from it, those that will come after them will reap the fruits of their efforts.

“We are proud of our heritage and our cultural identity is important to us; that is why we appreciate the contribution of AfriForum, Saai and Witkrans Citrus Nursery to improve the schools in our community that is named after our royal leaders,” says Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi, Kgosi (Senior Traditional Leader) of the Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi Traditional Community.

“AfriForum and the Batlharo Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi forged ties earlier this year and agreed to specifically collaborate on agricultural development and the promotion of community self-sufficiency and self-management; this tree planting project is part of the implementation of this agreement.

“During the planting of the trees, we conveyed the message to the children that every community member has a responsibility to make a difference in our own communities,” says Nantes Kelder, National Project Coordinator of Intercultural Relations and Cooperation at AfriForum. Kelder also expressed appreciation towards Witkrans Citrus Nursery for the donation of the trees.

“As a family farmer network, it is important to Saai that people, and especially children, understand that the value chain, that ensures that we all have food to eat, starts at primary production. It is also important for children to know about the wealth creation possibilities provided by agriculture.

“The planting of trees is not only an act of environmental improvement, it also practically illustrates that a better future is possible through collaborative efforts with a long-term focus, whilst it also provides the promise of stronger and healthier communities in the country,” says Leon Lourens, Development Coordinator at Saai.

The four schools where the trees were planted are named after current and former royal leaders of the community:

• Mogakolodi Masibi Science, Commercial and Technical School named after Kgosi Mogakolodi Masibi;
• Tshoganyetso Primary School named after Regent Tshoganyetso Masibi (1914-2004), that acted on behalf of Kgosi Mogakolodi;
• Methusele II Primary School named after Kgosi Methusele Masibi (1935-1974), father of Kgosi Mogakolodi; and
• Jan Masibi Secondary School named after Kgosi Jan Masibi (1901-1984), grandfather of Kgosi Mogakolodi.

AfriForum and Saai will support the Office of Kgosi Masibi to ensure the long-term success of the project.

“The mutual recognition and cooperation agreement with the Bathlaro Boo Tokwana Ba Ga Masibi and this joint project that flowed from it, is part of AfriForum’s plan to build a network of cultural communities that can collaborate to ensure a future for all of us here at the southern tip of Africa,” Kelder concludes.