Our Vision
uTo support the harmonious living of people in their natural,
social and economic environments in a way that supports
and strengthens both the people and their environment.
uTo assist the rural poor to better their lives, to diversify their
livelihoods and to face their challenges with resilience.
Our Mission
uTo design and implement innovative projects and
programmes which promote collaborative, pro-poor
agricultural innovation, working in partnership with other
organizations and communities.
uTo work at the cutting edge of development methodology
and process integrating learning (training), research and
implementation into new models and processes emphasizing
synergy and integration.
Promoting collaborative, pro-poor agricultural innovation
2003-2021
SEPTEMBER 2021
Climate change and smallholder farmers.
Sustainable and productive use of land and water
Climate Change Impacts in Bergville area
Above Left:Phumelele Hlongwane’s (Ezibomvini) crop
growth in mid January 2017 compared to Right ; growth in
mid January 2019. The extreme heat and drought at the
beginning of that season reduced her crop growth
considerably, even in her Conservation Agriculture plots.
Climate change impacts on livelihoods and farming (KZN)
Water
Less water in the landscape; streams and springs dry up,
borehole run dry, soils dry out quickly after rain
Dams dry up
Municipal water supply becoming more unreliable
Soil
More erosion
Soils becoming more compacted and infertile
Cropping
Timing for planting has changed
-later
Heat damage to crops
Reduced germination and growth
Seeding of legumes becoming unreliable
Lower yields
(~40% yield reduction for 2018-2018 cropping
season )
More pests and diseases
Loss of indigenous seed stocks
Livestock
Less grazing; not enough to see cattle through winter
More disease in cattle and heat stress symptoms
Fewer calves
More deaths
Natural
resources
Fewer trees; too much cutting for firewood
Decrease in wild animals and indigenous plants
Increased crop damage from wild animals such as birds and
monkeys
Availability of indigenous vegetables has decreased
Social
More diseases
Increased poverty and hunger
Increased crime and reduced job opportunities
Climate Change Adaptation: Guiding principles
uSOCIO-ECONOMIC
uBuild on community-based criteria, indicators and priorities
uGenerate transitional strategies
uAssess costs and benefits
uLink national and local planning mechanisms
uStrengthen local networks
uPromote values other than financialvalues
uPrioritize locally appropriate actions
uEnhance understanding and skills in storage, value adding, and marketing –go
beyond immediate markets
uSOCIO-ECOLOGICAL
uEncourage crop diversity and continuity
uEnsure healthy soil (improved organic matter, improved infiltration, erosion control
,improved soil cover)
uProtect natural resource baseand ecosystem services
uReduce external inputs
uMake the most effective useof water and land for all purposes
uVillage based learning groups , with water
committees and TA representatives
uDiscuss the need and think about options
uUndertake to be part of the process and pay
towards the implementation (matching grants)
uDo walkabouts/transect walks with support
organisations and technical advisors to map
sources (position, condition, use, issues) and
participants (position, use,
uPlan potential spring protection and
reticulation using hand drawn maps. Advisors
transfer to elevation maps, calculate distances,
heights etc and do an initial budget
uMaps discussed and refined, budgets
consolidated, first steps planned
uImplementation done in incremental steps with
full participant involvement
uWork with community to identify possible sources, how
they will be protected, who will be involved to plan a
localized system for 10-20 participants) using
appropriate technology and low-cost options (gravity
fed), that can be managed and maintained by the
community themselves.
Take care to ensure continued public access, but with
protection and conservation measures in place
Community owned spring protection and development
Left: The spring’s
catchment pond
with evidence of use
by cattle and
people. Right: The
catchment pond
dug out to make a
bigger pond and
small dam wall.
Ezibomvini :A spring above homesteads, where community
started their own protection and made ditches –Needed to be
designed to work better
Initial hand drawn map for the community
is drawn up together, discussing who will
be involved, where header tank would be,
how the pipes would run etc
Map reworked with elevations, distances
and final pipes, after negotiation with all
involved. Permissions obtained from
householders and TA
Participatory planning of layout and participants
Participants juggled
to ensure elevations
are workable–some
removed due to
distance/elevation,
others included –
provision of access
as pipes go across
their homesteads
Spring secured, small dam increased
and leveled, water point for cattle
created, main offtake –underground
slotted pipe below the spring
•Main offtake pipe layout
measured and planned
with a dumpy level
•Participants and community
dig the ditch
•Placement of header tank
planned, plinth built and
tank installed
•Final spring strength
determined
Appropriate tech and
low cost optionsSlotted pipe
Digging
offtake for
slotted pipe
covering with
bidem, stones
and soil
Header tank
Measuring
main pipe
layout,
community
labour for
digging the
ditches
Above Left to Right: Laying the piping along the edges of the fields, with branches
towards the different homesteads; fitting the inlet pipes to the 200l drums and installation
of a float valve in each drum
Household pipes and drums installed (technical advisor, MDf and
community members
Yield of spring
limited, only 200
liter /homestead/
day, Float valves
ensure allocation
is equal, header
tank fills
overnight
Sustainable
abstraction,
clear, easy
management
system, one
person manages
opening and
closing of valves
In conclusion
Sustainable and equitalbe access to
daily water for multipurpose use,
managed by the water committee
and participants themselves
Sustainable management of water
sources and environment