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.
Value the environment and stimulate community development
Daktari has 17 years of experience in presenting environmental experiences and teaching to local children. In addition to a week of residential immersion in a bush school context, they run an eco-club at the local school for Grade 9s. They have also run other community-based environmental programmes over the years. Daktari’s model is to use foreign (mostly European and North American) volunteers to present the environmental education and life skills programme to local children.
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.
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