Members projects

In 2010, a grant from the Coca Cola Foundation enabled the World Wildlife Fund and the Noodsberg Canegrowers Association to launch an initiative to improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged South African cane growers while mitigating impacts on freshwater systems.

There are two types of activities to achieve this goal: The first builds upon strengthening and expanding existing collaboration between commercial farmers and smallholder farmers, and the second provides a comprehensive approach to improving freshwater resources, livelihoods, and biosecurity for the region. Support for the first component involves a mentorship program between the Noodsberg Canegrowers Association (an established group of commercial farmers), and nearby smallholder farmers. An existing mentorship model between Noodsberg and the Guqguma smallholder co-operative has, over four years, increased yields from ~33 tons of cane per hectare to ~100 tons per hectare, and in so doing more than tripled income to the community. The project expands this model to support the development of approximately 100 economically disadvantaged sugarcane growers on 100 hectares in the Swayimane tribal community area. A portion of the grant goes towards redesigning fields in order to implement better management practices, while some is used for outreach, education, and monitoring. The process is documented in terms of costs and benefits, creating a potential model to emulate in other sugarcane regions of South Africa.

This project has helped establish two new co-operatives that organize small farms into larger operating areas to take advantage of environmental conditions for improved productivity. The development of the Zakhokuhle cooperative will employ 75 people and create a 60 hectare seed cane nursery that will eventually supply seed to over 500 hectares of smallholder farms. The Shapheme cooperative will involve 47 farmers and benefit 88 additional dependents. Initially, the project team undertook soil tests at these cooperatives to estimate yield potential of between 100 and 120 tons per hectare, a substantial increase from smallholder averages of 50 tons per hectare. Demonstration plots were also created through a collaboration of local farmers and the project team.

Future activities include the creation of new farm layouts that reduce impacts on freshwater resources and improve sugarcane yields, and the establishment of baseline water use for crop growth and run-off impacts. An additional key deliverable is a detailed map of catchments in the growing region highlighting freshwater priority, ecosystem status, production areas at risk, and the most effective rehabilitation work.

In the training of disadvantaged farmers, management practices with the greatest benefits for environmental sustainability are emphasized, with training focused on how livelihoods improve in relation to improved environmental conditions. The project works to discourage pre and post harvest burning, maintain and restore riparian areas, and foster the creation of an integrated pest management system to increase pesticide use efficiency. Furthermore, a simple monitoring and evaluation system is implemented to quantify the expected freshwater benefits, including reduced run-off, reduced sediment and turbidity, and increased dry-season low flows.

The parallel track to this mentorship program is regional biosecurity and involves the identification of high infestation areas of invasive plant species (lantana and water hyacinth) and subsequently advising farmers on how to remove these invasives through releasing approved bio-control agents to ensure no threat to indigenous fauna or flora. Invasive species are a serious threat to South Africa’s freshwater availability, as the country’s water resources are highly stressed, and invasive and introduced species use a significant amount of available water. The removal of the invasives will potentially yield significant replenish benefits to the local freshwater ecosystems, as invasive plants tend to have higher evapotranspiration rates than native vegetation, thereby using more water than native plants.

Commercial farmers are the primary focus of this component, as much of the smallholder area is free of serious invasive presence. Additionally, the biosecurity work will expand the use of the “push-pull” integrated pest management system that uses a variety of natural plant pheromones to control the eldana pest rather than using pesticides to protect cane from the insect pest.

The work with smallholders and biosecurity will yield a catchment-wide approach to improving freshwater resources and livelihoods both smallholders and commercial farmers. It is a long term project that requires extensive commitment by farmers of all socioeconomic background and will eventually require more external resources from government agencies and the grower support bodies to ensure that the project reaches its full potential.