Build productive synergies between communities and the environment
Poor communities are more vulnerable to the impacts of environmental degradation because they live in conditions characterised by the most damaged land and the most polluted neighbourhoods. Many people live in areas with poor air quality, polluted soil and water and ineffective waste removal and management services. Their quality of life and livelihoods are further negatively affected by the impact of climate change on rising food prices, crop failures and water shortages.
We must support these communities by tackling the systemic failures that make them vulnerable and support programmes that enable them to participate in the waste economy while reducing the worst impacts of climate change. And, as we drive public innovation that disrupts trajectories of exclusion, we must ensure that our human development outcomes are in synergy with the environment.
Public innovation must not be at the expense of the environment, but in synergy with it.
Human development in synergy with the environment can build resilience to the impact of climate change. For instance, community-based programmes that seek to build local food value chains are an emerging approach to creating sustainable systems. This means having a community-centred value chain starting from the manufacturing of equipment for farming to who owns smallholdings, and how farmed products are processed, distributed and then sold to local markets. This community-centred pipeline will create more inclusive food systems that have the potential to disrupt monopolies in various parts of the agriculture value chain.
Our goal is to enable people to engage with issues of environmental degradation and climate change through the lens of how these factors impact their own communities.
What we are working on…
- Preserving and expanding local languages of ecology in communities and enabling participation in global climate change debates.
- Establishing an expanded network of local food production and markets.
- Setting up waste management and recycling in specific communities.
The Lesedi Solar Power Park, November 2022. Photo courtesy of Michael Khan.
Escaping the inequality trap requires a twist in our thinking.
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Flagship projects addressing this opportunity
Civil society projects addressing this opportunity
These projects are by no means a comprehensive list of the work of civil society. This list represents a small selection of organisations that will be updated from time to time
For the community, by the community
This is a voluntary association that advocates for spatial equality and improved municipal services for the community of Observatory. The association aims to bridge the gap between their community, the municipality and other governmental organisations. It also supports development that is people-centred, environmentally sustainable, responsive to their local built environment and socially inclusive.
A cleaner, greener South Africa
An organisation that works to promote zero waste and sustainable living, empowering South Africans to create more sustainable lifestyles and reduce their waste output. They organise programs, events and campaigns to educate the public about waste reduction and sustainability and work to build a network of people who are dedicated to sustainable living.
Practical planning, knowledge sharing and building communities of practice for effective land reform and diversified rural livelihoods
Phuhlisani works with the Elandskloof Committee and community to address the different components of an integrated development programme which will result in secure land rights, clear land and asset management systems, a marked increase in the use of the land (at a larger scale commercial level, at a small-scale commercial level and at a household food security level), increased livelihood opportunities and improved governance arrangements – including the possible establishment of a community-owned commercial company.
Activating youth in agriculture
Siyavuna Abalimi Development Centre (Siyavuna) uses agriculture, which has notably been a sector that is unappealing to young people, as an earning opportunity that will lead to sustainable livelihoods. The food system needs transformation to meet more people’s nutritional needs, lower its impact on the environment and ecosystems, allow smaller producers a place in the market, and attract young people. Siyavuna envisages young people to be a part of this transformation.
The organisation recognises that farming is a viable career path, and that young people play a crucial role in this sector in South Africa. The Social Employment Fund (SEF) has allowed Siyavuna to introduce agriculture as a means of employment and entrepreneurship to 1000 young people. Subsequently, they intend to transform this initial investment into a long-term opportunity for 500 young people from that same cohort to maintain momentum and continuity for the next two years.
Agroecology and community action for resilient rural villages
AmaTrac-Uluntu strengthens environmental resilience and food security in the Upper Tyhume Valley through community-driven agroecology and veld restoration. Working in deeply marginalised rural villages, the organisation equips residents with practical skills to rehabilitate degraded land, improve household nutrition, and protect the ecosystems they rely on. With two established agroecology hubs already demonstrating sustainable farming, biodiversity restoration and community empowerment, the programme now aims to replicate this model in additional villages and scale up its veld restoration efforts. DGMT supports AmaTrac-Uluntu to expand community agrihubs, deepen environmental stewardship, and create more secure, sustainable livelihoods across the Hogsback region.
Agroecology and local enterprise for resilient food systems
Seriti Institute strengthens food security, local enterprise and climate resilience through its community-owned agroecological farming model. Working nationally with low-income communities—especially women and youth—Seriti develops multifunctional agri-nodes that provide training, market access, farmer support services and practical pathways into productive livelihoods. Their programme equips small-scale producers with agroecology skills, soil health practices and enterprise development support, while the agri-nodes operate as accessible, in-community hubs that connect farmers to inputs, buyers and learning opportunities. This integrated model improves household nutrition, boosts local economies, and restores degraded environments. DGMT supports Seriti to deepen this model and generate learning on how community-owned, multifunctional agri-nodes can be scaled to strengthen local food systems, expand opportunities for smallholder farmers, and contribute to more equitable, sustainable rural and peri-urban economies.
Building resilience in vulnerable communities through small-scale farming
Thanda strengthens household nutrition, self-reliance and local economic activity through its regenerative farming programme in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Working with approximately 910 small-scale and household farmers each year—most of whom are women—Thanda provides technical training, self-development support, inputs, infrastructure and guaranteed market linkages. Through its interconnected Household Gardening, Nisela Organic Farming and Agri-Hub programmes, Thanda equips families and smallholder farmers to adopt agroecological practices, restore soil health, diversify crops and strengthen climate resilience. Mentoring, indigenous knowledge, neighbourhood learning circles and accessible bio-inputs help embed long-term food security and intergenerational farming skills. DGMT supports Thanda to deepen and scale these pathways for subsistence and small-scale farmers, enabling vulnerable communities to develop climate-resilient strategies, strengthen local food economies and grow their capacity for sustainable, dignified livelihoods.
Tracking affordability and driving systemic change for economic justice
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) advances economic justice through grounded research, solidarity organising and systemic advocacy. Established in 2018, the organisation works with low-income households—particularly women—to document the real cost of living, challenge dominant economic narratives, and centre the lived experiences of those most affected by South Africa’s unequal political economy.
PMBEJD produces influential evidence, including the Household Affordability Index, generated through community-led data collection across major urban and peri-urban areas. This research supports civil society campaigns, unions, policymakers, and the media to engage credibly with issues of food prices, wage adequacy and household affordability.
Alongside its research, PMBEJD builds solidarity with local struggles, especially those led by women pensioners and workers, and contributes to coalitions advocating for systemic reforms that expand justice, equity and dignity. DGMT supports this work to strengthen public understanding of the affordability crisis, elevate marginalised voices, and catalyse meaningful shifts towards a more just and inclusive economy.
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