Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini has called for the KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture Department's initiative, One Home, One Garden, to become even more effective in the province.
South Africans should not have to endure hunger with the vast amount of land that is available in the country, he said on Sunday at the 4th annual Parks and People Conference held at the University of Zululand.
Themed, "conservation for the people with the people," Zwelithini said the conference should also look at ways that people can be taught to look after nature.
"We need to help one another. People need to be able to produce more food...We also need to understand how to take care of nature," said Zwelithini.
He added that poverty can not be alleviated if there is not enough food production and education around this subject.
The head of the Zulu monarchy said every home should have a garden and that nutrition and the health of people in the country needs to improve. "I understand what poverty means... therefore I have to teach my people how to feed themselves," said Zwelithini.
Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica also made an address at the gala dinner.
"The conference is being hosted as the International year of biodiversity is celebrated... The overall aim of the People and Parks Programme is to address issues at the interface between conservation and communities," said Sonjica.
The minister is confident that South Africa can achieve the aim considering that since 2003, when the country hosted the World Parks Congress, the programme has grown in leaps and bounds.
In addition, Sonjica noted that South Africans are people with traceable oral and written history of conservation, having lived in harmony with nature.
Later today, Sonjica will launch the National Co-Management Framework which seeks to address issues of transformation in the biodiversity and conservation sector.
The People and Parks Conference will be attended by an estimated 600 delegates from communities, government, NGOs and academics.
