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Together with EMG, the small-scale farming communities of Heiveld and Wupperthal
are partners in a number of initiatives to establish good and sustainable
farming practices. Both groups produce high quality organic and fair trade
certified tea which is sold on the international market. However, both communities
are in geographically isolated areas and receive limited extension support
from governement. They also happen to farm in areas that are rich in Cape
Fynbos biodiversity and which are part of the Greater
Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) Initiative, a bio-regional planning
initiative implemented by Cape Nature.
Farming as they do on the margins of the Karoo, the productivity of their
lands, and thus their livlihoods, are extermely vulnerable to fluctuations
in climate and weather patterns. Over-cultivation or overgrazing can also
lead to rapid declines in productivity.
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This GEF Small-grants funded project aims to increase the capacity of farmers to effectively conserve soil, water and other natural resources; and to disseminate lessons to a wider audience, including decision-makers in local, provincial and national government. EMG will assist the farmers with formal and non-formal training in the sustainable production of organic and wild harvested rooibos tea; ecologically sound agriculture, soil and water conservation, pest management; biodiversity management; etc. In a "bottom-up" approach, farmers will themselves design measures to reduce or prevent degradation and participate in the drafting of a “best practice” manual on sustainable resource use A participatory action research methodology will seek to maximise participation by farmers in all project activities, and from its conceptualisation to its conclusion, the project will be informed and driven by local knowledge and locally defined “research questions”, which will be explored in practical ways by the problem analysis, design of practical measures, monitoring of impacts, evaluation of impacts and sharing of the experiences of the project. |
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