South Africans not eating enough fruits, vegetables

DESPITE the availability of nutritious and indigenous plants in South Africa, the population’s daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables falls below the 400 grams per capita required by the World Health Organisation. The issue however is that most South Africans are not aware that local plants are high in nutrients and antioxidants. They also tend to look down on certain indigenous crops and associate these with poverty.

Dr Gerhard Backeberg, executive manager for Water Utilisation in Agriculture said, “We need to strengthen people’s abilities to cultivate food for themselves, as opposed to merely depending on government support systems, such as social grants. In this way communities are empowered to help themselves become food secure and maintain healthy balanced diets.”