By Mabila Mathebula and Aifheli Manwatha
Fruit and vegetables are key to our nutrition. God gave an injunction to the Israelites to plant fruit trees upon entering the Promised Land. Fruit trees mature in five years. Commercial farmers export fruits trees after a five-year circle.
There are many communities that gained land through the land claim process and yet the land remains fallow. Former president Thabo Mbeki once lamented the fact that most South Africans do not pay attention to working the land. He observed that the Zimbabweans’ attitude towards land was acutely different from ours.
To Zimbabweans, land is an important factor in production which should be used to create wealth and sustained livelihoods. The communities that claimed land could galvanise into action by planting fruit trees, reap the nectar of success and create more employment in their communities. The government has legislated the land claim process but cannot legislate commonsense.
It is notable that the fruit industry is diminishing, not only in South Africa but globally due to rogue weather patterns and improper farming methods. In the past, people in townships planted fruit such as peaches and grapes. In most rural areas, the tradition of planting fruit trees is entrenched, not for commerce but for domestic consumption.
We need a paradigm shift in this regard. If we could fan the tradition of planting fruit in our yards and fallow farms, the fruit industry would thrive and we would be in a position to export and boost our domestic economy. This is doable and achievable.
The tree-planting exercise is in the common weal. With the threat of climate change, we could build a green country by collectively planting fruit trees in our yards. It would reward us with oxygen. Research has shown that two mature trees are enough to provide a family of four with oxygen.
Langeberg & Ashton Foods’ story of closing after more than 60 years of operation and laying off than 3 000 employees has taken us aback. It is not only the loss of employment but also institutional memory. Leaders and communities were not able to rescue the industry and avert job losses for the citizens.
The town was built around this factory as it provided the much-needed facilities to make a living. It has become a proverbial ghost town. Ghost towns have a distinct possibility of becoming havens for crime since people are physically tired and mentally debased of swimming in an island of hopelessness.
Fruit trees maintenance is done twice a year by putting compost and spraying. This ensures fresh fruit and a great fruit size. It also prevents disease. Each tree gets around 10 litres of water a week. In summer when there is no drought, it gets rain water. In winter, when rainfall is generally low, it gets less water. During the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone globally needed some lemons and lemon trees grow well in the South African climate.
Big institutions are rolling out projects of planting 2 000 trees annually in communities. If you thought the initiative was as waste of time, think of the next 30 years and the health benefit which would be derived from the initiative, for example, a mature tree produces 100 000 litres of oxygen and in through the project, 60 000 000 000 litres of oxygen will be produced.
The shortage of fruit trees has forced entrepreneurs to think outside the box by incentivising households who have fruits trees in their yards to transact in bags. This is a relief for the individuals who planted them as they are participating in the mainstream economy and making a living for their families. With or without the support of political leadership, all families could prosper by working the land.
Author and life coach Mathebula has a PhD in construction management. Manwatha is a farmer