The Provincial Land Care Coordinator in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Thivhavhudzi Nekhavhambe, urged learners, farmers and the community to take care of natural resources, because resources are vulnerable and can be lost.
"We find that natural resources such rivers, soil care and veld care are not taken into consideration by our communities. People are just throwing used nappies and plastic containers in our rivers. Every day we are losing the top soil and people are unnecessarily cutting down trees," said Nekhavhambe.
She was speaking last Tuesday during the handing over of the awards won by some farmers and young learners during the eighth land-care conference, which was held in Mangaung.
The ceremony for Vhembe region's winner was held in the department's western boardroom in Makwarela. About 20 people, including farmers and learners who participated and won in the competition, received awards such as certificates and trophies during the ceremony.
One of the winners in the category for farmers, Khomanani Land Care Project in Maphophe village outside Malamulele, was over the moon to learn that they were also the winner of the competition. The project manager of the project, Mr Daniel Maphophe, said that they conducted an awareness campaign related to the land-care problem, such as climate change.
"Our project started in 2016 and it went from strength to strength after we were funded by the provincial department of agriculture and rural development."