FOCUS GROUP
Families, Individuals affected by Poverty.SERVICE
Community Based services: National Food Emergency Program to
poor individuals and families.
LEGISLATION AND/OR POLICIES THAT UNDERPINS THE SERVICE
Disaster Management Act
BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
The National Government has come up with an Integrated Food
Security Strategy (IFSS), which has a vision to attain a
universal and sustainable access to a minimum daily, safe and
nutritious food for healthy, active and Better life for all the
people of South Africa.
The pressure of escalating food prices and increased levels of
malnutrition necessitated the National Government through
cabinet in October 2002 to take extra measures that include the
provision of food emergency support with immediate effect
through the introduction of National Food Emergency Programme (NFEP)
as a sub-programme which forms an integral part of IFSS.
The Eastern Cape Province was allocated R32,861,700 to produce
and distribute food parcels to about 36,513 households at a rate
of one food parcel of groceries valued at R300 per month for
each household over a specified period of three months. The
targeted 36,513 families/households were located within the
identified 12 areas in the eastern Cape that fall within Band A
i.e. categories of households expenditure totaling less than
R200 Per month on food.
The National Government has further put aside R400 million for
phase 2 of NFEP with an intention to make food accessible to
poor and vulnerable individuals and households over a period of
three years from 2003 – 2006.
The Eastern cape Department of Social development has been
allocated R94,133,000 for each financial year from 2003-2006 as
a conditional grant to cover Band B i.e. categories of
households expenditure totaling less than R300 per month on
food.
Communities have been mobilized to establish themselves into
Local Food Emergency Forums (LFEF) comprised of various
stakeholders. The LFEF would then assist in the identification
of vulnerable and poor households in their respective areas. The
list of identified beneficiary households would then in turn be
submitted by LFEF to the department and the departmental
Officials conduct door to door visit to compile report on each
beneficiary Household to ensure that NFEP benefits deserving
households.
The beneficiaries are expected to collect their food parcels at
central distribution points located at a reasonable walking
distance.
A valid South African identity document must be produced at the
food distribution point to the Social Worker, Community
Development Worker and a representative from LFEF. Those who do
not have the ID document must bring witnesses who will also be
verified by the LFEF at the distribution point.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SERVICE
NFEP objective is to respond to immediate needs of hunger and
increasing levels of malnutrition. An amount of R230 million was
set aside for Phase 1 for this purpose for the 2002/2003
financial year.
The Eastern Cape Department of Social development has been
allocated R94,133,000 for each financial year from 2003-2006 as
a conditional grant to cover Band B i.e. categories of
households expenditure totaling less than R300 per month on
food.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE SERVICE?
The specified beneficiaries of this program include;
- Households who do not have money for their next meal;
- Poor households spending less than R 300 per month on
food;
- Vulnerable children and child-headed households;
- Orphaned children;
- People with disabilities;
- Female headed households with insufficient or no income;
- HIV/AIDS infected and TB patients.
WHO RENDERS THE SERVICE?
The Community Liaison Officers and Social Workers render the
Service in partnership with organizations that are selected to
distribute food Parcels and the local Structures in the
communities.
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