Zipho Xego
The Provincial Launch of the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) took place on April 15, 2024, at the Port St Johns Town Hall. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), in collaboration with Eastern Cape Provincial Government Departments, organised the event to address child poverty and malnutrition, focusing on food security and nutrition in the OR Tambo district. Delegates from the Women Rise project, under the HSRC, were also a part of the ongoing discussions within the community.
Figure 1: Nelly Vuyokazi Sharpley (Women RISE Co-PI) addressing community members and stakeholders at the ICROP Launch (Taken: Port St Johns Town Hall, 15th April 2024)
This launch marked the first event under the ICROP programme, providing a platform to share research findings from the Women Rise project researchers and leaders. This launch has built on previous government engagements and community engagements in Cwebe and Mhlakulo where themes of hunger, malnutrition, social grants, and vulnerability were discussed.
The event represented a collaborative effort among various government entities to tackle child poverty and malnutrition in Port St Johns, a known hotspot for these issues. The primary goal was to enhance food security and nutrition, particularly in early childhood development and the promotion of healthy diets. After the opening at the Town Hall, the event moved to the Vukani Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) in Qhaka Village, where a demonstration of planting orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and other vegetables suitable for healthy diets took place. The aim of this initiative is to highlight sustainable agricultural practices and dietary diversity for these communities.
Throughout the launch, mobile services were provided for children and mothers without birth certificates and identification documents. The various government departments with whom we as a team have engaged facilitated live applications for social grants and other essential services to ensure that vulnerable populations like women and children have access to critical resources that these documents provide.
Figure 2: Women RISE researchers collaborating with SASSA to provide mobile services to mothers and children of the community (Taken: 15th April 2024)
The ICROP initiative demonstrated a proactive approach to addressing child poverty and malnutrition by creating awareness among communities, providing practical demonstrations, and ensuring access to vital services. The specific focus on early childhood development and promoting nutritious diets through sustainable agricultural practices is of particular importance to this area. The launch aimed to lay a foundation for more long-term improvements in food security and health outcomes within the community.
A follow-up planning meeting took place on April 16, 2024, at the Port St Johns Local Municipality Boardroom. The meeting focused on finalising the ICROP Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the project plan to ensure effective coordination and execution. The communities previously engaged in the Women Rise project were incorporated into the ICROP programme, which operates as "services on wheels," bringing services directly to the people in their villages and towns. During the meeting, the Women Rise team shared preliminary research findings to guide the planning of the ICROP rollout. This integration of research into the planning process highlights the commitment to research-driven action, ensuring the programme is aligned with community needs and challenges.
Although there is still a lot of work to do, the provincial launch of ICROP represents a significant step towards addressing child poverty and malnutrition in Port St Johns and the broader OR Tambo district. This type of collaboration among government departments, stakeholders, and community members is essential moving forward as it has successfully raised awareness, provided essential services, and demonstrated a commitment to improving food security and nutrition. We hope that similar engagements can be spread across all eight Women Rise research sites.
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