Homeour worksodi bmz upscaling cbcca in rural communities in south africa 2022 2025sodi2116za311 3rd interim report april july 2023

SODI_2116ZA311 3rd Interim Report April - July 2023

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Annex 5
Narrative Interim Report
The report must describe in detail how the project has progressed and the results achieved so far, and must
describe how the project funds have been used for the planned activities. The total length should not exceed
15 pages.
BMZ Project number: 6815
Project country: South Africa
Project title: Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBCCA) to build resilience
Organisation: Mahlathini Development Foundation (MDF)
Project duration: 01.10.2022 bis 31.08.2025
Period: April-July 2023
1.General Information
The CbCCA project is based on working with Climate resilient Agriculture (CRA) learning groups of smallholder
participants. These groups are set up a at village level across three provinces: KZN, EC and Limpopo. They work
on an annual cyclical planning and review process for implementation of CRA practices (Field cropping,
homestead food production and livestockmanagement) –which are supported through training, mentoring
and implementation support. The intention is to support both existing learning groups in the three provinces to
deepen their implementation and to initiate new learning groups.
Figure 1: Map of SODI-CbCCA villages across EC, KZN and Limpopo
Project no 2116ZA311
2
CRA learning group members alsoundertake a range of other associated activities according to their need,
meaning that not all groups undertake the same activities:
➢Setting upand running village savings and loanassociations (VSLAs), with membership from the CRA
learning groups and beyond, for savings and small loans for consumption smoothing and productive
activities.
➢Enterprise development and local marketing committees and groups, mostly to run the joint monthly
produce markets in nearby towns, but also includes egg andbroiler production and sales, livestock
auctions and more formal market contracts.
➢Water access and management through water committees linked tolocalgovernance structures, for
planning and implementing integrated water management activities and
➢Livestock committees, for development of conservation agreements for rangeland management and
local livestock auctions.
The diagram below indicates the interactions with these local or micro level groups at the meso- level through
clusters and platforms with multiple stakeholders and at the meso- and macro level through more formalized
organizational forums and networks.
Figure 2: The micro-, meso- and macro-level interactions for the CbCCA programme and the Communities of
Practice (COPs).
Quarterly project reports outline the training, field-based activities undertaken with the CRA learning groups
and their progress related to economic empowerment (VSLAs, marketing etc.). Information on activities related
to the innovation and multistakeholder platforms is also to be included in summary form.
Integrated water and natural resources management activities are more discreet in nature and will be reported
on as progress is made. This also applies to the development of evidence-based indicators and the monitoring
and evaluation handbook development.
1.1.Project Description / Project Objectives
The COVID-19 pandemic, global economic downturns and internal political and economic instability have
exacerbated the already significant negative impact of climate change on smallholder farmer communities in
South Africa. Unemployment is very high (60-80%), with very low incomes primarily through social grants
(around R2000/month per household of 4-5 members). Smallholders need to find ways to provide for a
sustainable livelihood forthemselves through farming andresource use in their villages. The climate resilient
agriculture practices have been piloted and have been shown to significantly improve both livelihoods and
social agency and now needs to be deepened and expanded.
Project no 2116ZA311
3
The project objectives and outputs are summarized in the small table below.
Overall objective
(impact)
Communities have improved their livelihoods and their capacity to adapt to climate change and
have strengthened their resilience climate change risks and shocks
Project
outputs/objectives
O1
Capacity is developed for creation of and strengthening institutional frameworks and
mechanisms for including proven multi-benefit approaches that promote collective action and
coherent Community based Climate Change Adaptation (CbCCA) implementation.
O2
The farmer level decision support system for implementation of CRA is upscaled in eastern SA.
O3
Appropriate frameworks for monitoring and evaluationof environmental benefits and agro-
ecosystem resilience are developed at multiple scales
O4
Improvement of water and natural resources management and governance through
community ownership
1.2.Source of Information
Each activity setwithin the projecthas afocused monitoring and evaluation process, to encompass therange
of environmental, agricultural, economic and social indicators used for reporting. Monitoring forms include for
example the CCA baselines, crop and garden monitoring, poultry production monitoring and fodder
supplementation monitoring. Databases are collated for the monthly VSLA (village savings and loan
associations) recordsand monthly market stall sales and incomes. Seasonal reviews for each learning groups
consist of focus group discussions and individual interviews. Resilience snapshots and participatory impact
assessments provide more summative evaluative content.
In addition, the provincial field team leaders (Betty Maimela and Mazwi Dlamini) provide monthlyreports on
training and implementation undertaken with the CRA learning groups. Photographs are included in these
summaries and attendance registers are available. Allinterns are expected to provide monthly field work
reports (for SODI – Sphumelelo Mbhele) and reports for events, workshops and meetings are submitted.
Erna Kruger usesthese reports and databases to compile the SODI quarterly reports for the organization.
Financial reports re compiled jointly by Erna Kruger and Sarika Ramsewak.
2.Project Status
Overall Objective (Impact): Communities are empowered toadapt to climate change and their resilience is
strengthened.
Indicator
Base value
(quantitative & qualitative)
Equivalent to proposal
Target value
(Quantitative & qualitative)
Equivalent to proposal
Achievements
(quantitative & qualitative)
As part of an MDF pilot
project, 345 smallholder
farmers have gained
initial experience with
local agricultural practices
for climate change
adaptation. There is
currently no coherent
regional orlocal system
for climate-adapted
agriculture by smallholder
2,625 beneficiaries of
smallholder farming
families and 75
stakeholders in 3 provinces
are organized in
Communities of Practice
(CoP) and implement at
least 3 practices for
climate-adapted agriculture
according to developed
standards.
650participants, of whom130
are in new learning groups
(3 250 beneficiaries)
Project no 2116ZA311
4
Indicators
Base value
(quantitative & qualitative)
Equivalent to proposal
Target value
(Quantitative & qualitative)
Equivalent to proposal
Achievements
(quantitative & qualitative)
1.1 Learning groups (18)
at local village levelhave
gained initial experience
with approaches to
sustainable and climate-
resilient agriculture.
1.2 Currently,
smallholders are
supported by 2
government
organisations (ROs) and 2
non-governmental
organisations (NGOs)
1.1 CoP at local and
regional level are
implemented and
operational:
- 27 CoP / Learning groups
for climate-resilient
agriculture are established
at village level for
community-based climate
change adaptation (CbCCA)
- 3 regional CoP with
representatives from the
localCoP are established in
clusters as innovation
platforms for exchange,
planning and development
- 3 regional multi-
stakeholder platforms (ROs
and NGOs) for strategy
development, policy
interactions, coherent
planning and awareness
raising are established
1.2 In the project regions, 6
ROs and 6 NGOs support
smallholder farmers
through learning and
financing opportunities.
Fromplanning to
implementation, they are
involved in community-
based adaptation to
climate change activities.
17 + 5 (new).
-Mahhehle(SKZN) and Sophaya
and Madeira (Limpopo),
eMadakaneni andeMahlathini
(Bergville)
2
-CA: Farmers’ Open day Bgvl (5
villages Bgvl, 3 villages Midlands
-Mametja-Sekororo PGS (3
villages)
3
- uThukela catchment
partnership
- Adaptation network
-PGS SA –Participatory
guarantee system South Africa
3
-INR_Bergville: restoration work
team of 9 youth
-AWARD_Limpopo: Youth tala
table network and transforming
Giyani Programme (GLSCRP-
WRC, Tsogang)
-UKZN-Centre for Water
Resources Research (CWRR)-
Community level resource
management mapping and
planning
2.1 There are no specific
criteria forthe local
assessment of climate-
resilient production
systems.
2.2 So far, there are no
standardized and target
2.1 Indicators for
monitoring and evaluating
the impact ofspecific
agricultural practices for
adaptation toclimate
change have been
identified together with
smallholder farmers.
2.2. A handbook has been
developed and made
-MoU development with PMERL
specialist Karen Kotschy
farmers.
So far, 9 community-
based village savings and
loan associations have
been established by MDF
18 villages are organized by
the project in their own
village savings groups
19 VSLAs of which 5 are new
Project no 2116ZA311
5
group-oriented
approaches for climate-
resilient agriculture for
the project regions.
2.3 120 smallholder
farmers have developed
an understanding of how
to use a decision support
tool for climate-resilient
farming practices
available as a standard
framework for use as "open
source" for users at various
levels (in digital and printed
form).
2.3 A total of300
smallholder farmers
independently use the
decision support tool for
climate-resilient
agricultural practices to
implement community-
based adaptation to
climate change
130smallholder farmers (across
5 new learning groups),
3.1 At municipal level,
there are insufficiently
functioning structures for
sustainable water
management.
3.2 Communitieshave
only limited access to
water
3.1. Six communities have
been institutionalized and
have a sustainable
structure (e.g. Committee
on Water Management)
3.2 Three community-
based approaches to
sustainable water
management have been
developed.
3
Work in Vimbukhalo and
Stulwane (Bgvl), and Ned
(Matatiele) in progress
2
Vimbukhalo and Stulwane water
committees in Bgvl active and
developing
The table below provides a further summary of the project statues, outlining the CRA learning groups involved
and broad activities within each group.
CbCCA -SA
2116ZA311
Jan-June 2023
Province
Area
CRA LGs
No of
paticipants
CCA w/s
CA
Towers
Tunnels
Gardens
(seedlings)
Poultry
Layers
livestock
integration
VSLAs
Market groups
Water
committees
Livestock
Associations
KZN
SKZN
Ngongonini
23
9
5
16
22
6
Centocow
23
2
10
10
10
1
1
1
Mariathal
18
6
15
15
Mahhehle
26
12
12
17
11
10
1
1
Midlands
Gobizembe
18
14
22
20
14
24
15
1
1
Mayizekanye
22
20
27
14
16
12
8
1
Ozwathini
35
23
25
25
17
15
7
2
2
1
1
Stulwane
28
29
5
11
8
5
6
3
2
1
1
1
Ezibomvini
24
23
3
16
10
8
5
2
2
1
1
1
Vimbukhalo
32
35
5
8
5
1
1
1
1
Eqeleni
18
15
3
6
7
3
8
2
1
1
Emadakaneni
12
15
8
1
1
eMahlathini
7
7
4
1
Limpopo
Mametja-Sekororo
Sedawa
34
7
14
1
1
1
Worcester
37
2
12
1
Willows
29
22
1
1
Santeng
36
17
11
1
Project no 2116ZA311
6
Turkey
51
2
15
1
1
1
1
Sofaya
31
7
12
8
Madeira
36
8
7
1
Eastern Cape
Matatiele
Ned
38
20
15
19
25
1
1
Nchodu
29
30
12
14
20
Mzongwana
22
18
20
10
9
7
7
Rashule
21
21
18
7
7
1
3
1
Nkau
22
22
14
11
13
5
4
TOTALS
650
204
184
293
124
201
81
11
19
11
6
7
NEW
130
22
12
30
107
15
11
5
5
NOTE: Funding support through WWF has been secured for the Bergville villages for Conservation Agriculture
and water accessimplementation as well as from the Mazie Trust for conservation Agriculture in the Bergville
and Midlands regions.
2.1.Explanations in the event of deviations from planning
No deviations at present.
2.2.Status of implementation
The table below is taken from the project agreement. A column hasbeen included on the right in Table 1
below, outlining the quantities and activities involved for greater clarity.
Table 1: SODI high level work plan and budgeting per activity
SODI Work plan and Budgeting
Measures& Activities
2022
2023
2024
2025
Activitties and quantities
1. Implementation of Communities of Practice (CoP)
Introductory workshopsfor learning
groups (LG) at village level in 3
provinces
x
x
x
x
9X 1day intro meetings
LG operation; Roles, responsibilities,
visions and planning: Workshops for 9
LGs in 3 provinces.
x
x
x
x
9x1 day visioning andaction
plans
Training on capacity development for
climate-resilient production systems
x
x
x
x
x
x
3x1day training in CRA for 9
groups (R17 500/month)
Cyclical implementation of the LG at
village level: implementation and
mentoring for climate-adapted
agriculture for 27 learning groups at
village level; development of local
marketing initiatives (3) and local food
security initiatives (creation of value
chains, seed banks, etc.); Community-
based management measures for
natural resources
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
27 Learning groups in total - 9
per province (3 new).
(67 days@R200/day, thus
10days/ LF/monthx6-7LFs(R13
551/month)
Entrepreneurial support for food
security: village savings and loan
associations aswell as local marketing
support and development
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Printing of savings books (Zulu,
Pedi), 24 days@R200/day, thus
4days/LF/monthx6 LFsand/or
paying for marketing costs (R7
968/month)
Cyclical implementation of innovation
platforms and multi-stakeholder
networks; Implementation and
capacity building for innovation (3)
and multi-stakeholder platforms (3);
Meetings and exchange visits
x
x
x
x
1-2 events/year: farmers day, x
visit, Multi stakeholder meeting,
(R8 400/event)
2. Development of an M&E toolbox and a manual
Project no 2116ZA311
7
Development of M&E tools and
indicators
x
x
x
x
Materialsfor M&E, Software for
e surveys (R19 460/year)
Development of the Handbook on
Community-Based Adaptation to
Climate Change
x
x
x
Regular M&E of MDF together with
smallholders
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Seasonal evaluation by learning
groups at village level
x
x
x
x
x
x
36 Resilience snapshots per year
(min)
Participatory assessments improved
climate resilience for a selection of
village-level learning groups
x
x
x
x
x
x
3 PIA's per year (Min)
3. Sustainable water management
Establishment and implementation of
institutional structures such as water
management committees
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Development of threeconcepts for
sustainable access to water
x
x
x
x
x
Investment
2022
2023
2024
Amount per person
Tunnels
R5 463,00
5
35
30
Poultry
R2 021,00
10
45
45
Seed (CA, veg) and poultry feed
R1 815,00
10
45
45
To further outline the activites, annual tragets and actuals have been outlined in Table 2.This table will be
updated quartely.
Table 2: Targets and actuals for project activities
Target
Actual
Target
Actual
Target
Actual
Target
Actual
2022
2022
2023
2023
2024
2024
2025
2025
No CCA Intro w/s
2
2
5
Eqeleni, eMadakaneni (Bgvl), Sofaya, Madeira (Limpopo),
Mzongwana (EC)
2
No CCA Planning w/s
2
2
5
Eqeleni, eMadakaneni (Bgvl), Sofaya, Madeira (Limpopo),
Mzongwana (EC
2
Training days (demos)
6
1
0
12
17 (EC), 4 (Bgvl), 4 (SKZN), & (Limpopo): Tower gardens,
mixed cropping, pest and disease control, trench beds, tunnel
construction, VLSLA’s value adding
12
No of LGs
1
8
2
3
23
25
27
27
No of participants - monitoring
10
8
60(CA) + 107 (gardens)
10
8
10
8
Platforms (3 Ips, 3Multi
stakeholders)
2
2
6
1.lp, 3(SANBI, AN, WWF),
-Joint Livestockfarmer’s day with KZNDARD, in Mayizekanye
(Midlands)
6
6
Cross visits
-1: Community level (10 Midlands farmerstoBgvl forCAopen
day – March 23)
-1: Organisational (12 Wagenegin/UFS students to Bgvl for Land
dynamics course)
-1: CRA farmers and restoration teamsunder INR, cross viist to
Bgvl (April 2023)
No CCA prioritization planning
sessions
2
8
3(Bgvl-Eqeleni, eMadakaneni, eMahlathini), 2 (Limpopo-Sofaya,
Madeira,
8
18
No CCA review sessions
2
1
2
8
-
8
18
No CCA re-planning sessions
2
1
2
8
5(EC-Ned, Nchodu, Nkau, Rashule, Mzongwana), 2 (Midlands-
Mayizekanye, Gobizembe)
8
18
Project no 2116ZA311
8
VSLAs (360 participants, 18
VSLAS)
18
19
18
18
Water access scenarios (min 2)
1
3 (Vimbukhalo, Stulwnae, Ezibomvini)
1
1
Livestock agreements (Min 3)
1
-
1
1
Local facilitatordays (6-9),
total 114 days each
38
Noah Mhlongo:35 +45
Isaac Malatji:17+
Phumla Nyembezi:15+
38
38
Tunnels
5
35
40
30
Poultry
1
0
45
15 broilers, 11 layers
45
Seed (CA, veg), poultry feed
1
0
45
Seed –107
Poultry feed - 26
45
This information is further outlined according to the measuresand activities, with dates and descriptions of
activities provided in Table 3. Again, this table is to be updated quarterly.
CRA learning group summary
Province
Area
Villages
No of participants
KZN
Bergville
Ezibomvini, Stulwane, Vimbukahlo, Eqeleni,
Emadakaneni, eMahlathini
121
Midlands
Ozwathini, Gobizembe, Mayizekanye
75
SKZN
Mahhehle,Mariathal, Centocow, Ngongonini
90
Limpopo
Sekororo-Lestitele
Sedawa, Turkey, Santeng, Worcester, Sophaya,
Madeira, Willows
254
EC
Matatiele
Ned, Nchodu, Nkau, Rashule, Mzongwana
132
5
25
650
Table 3: Description of measures and activites with dates and areas outlined: Oct-June 2023
Activity No
description
Date
Activity
1.2.1.
Establishing learning groups at
village level
2022/11/25, 12/09
2022/11/15, 11/29,
2023/03/03
2023/02/09,02/16
2023/01/18
2023/03/27
2023/05/25, 06/08
Limpopo: Sophaya
SKZN:Mahhehle -CCA workshop x 2 days, VSLA
introduction workshop
Bergville: Eqeleni
EC: Ned, Nkau
Limpopo: Madeira
KZN Midlands: Ndlaveleni
1.2.2.
Training and mentoring for
climate resilient agriculture
2022/12/02
2022/10/26
2022/10/08-14
2022/11/23,24,29
2022/02/10
2022/02/27, 03/28
2022/03/08, 03/17,
03/28
2022/03/15
2023/03/07,08
2023/03/29,30
2023/03/24,27,30
2023/04/, 2023/05,
2023/06
2023/04/21,25
2023/04/19,20
Midlands: Ozwathini contouring workshopSKZN:
Mahhehle – tower gardens
EC-Matatiele: Drip irrigation workshops in 5 villages
SKZN: CA demonstration workshops in 3 villages
SKZN:Plainhill Drip irrigation training
Limpopo: Sofaya trench beds
SKZN: Mahhehle tower gardens, poultry production, trench
beds
SKZN: Mariathal gardens and experimentation
Bgvl: Madakaneni, Mahlathini – gardening training
EC: Ned, Nchodu poultry production
EC: Nec, Nchodu, Mzongwana- Pest and disease control
Limpopo and KZN: trench bed training with assembling of
tunnels for 45 households across 8villages, including
distribution of seedlings, mixed cropping and mulching
learning inputs and drip irrigation
Limpopo: Willows, Sedawa, Mametja –Natural Pest and
Disease control
Bergville SKZN: Poultry production: eMadakaeneni,
Mjwetha, Mariathal, Mahhehle, centocow
1.2.3.
Cyclical implementation through
mentoring for capacity
development for LG at local level
2022/08/16,17,18,19,30
2022/10/16
2022/11/21-24
2023/01/24-30
CCA review and planning workshops
-Bergville: CA review and planning (5)
-Midlands: CA review and planning (3)
-Limpopo: CCA review and planning (4)
CCA prioritization of practices
-Matatiele: 5 villages (Ned, Nchodu, Rahsule, Nkau,
Project no 2116ZA311
9
2023/04/24-26
Mzongwana
-Limpopo: Worcester, Willows, Mametja fivefinger
reviews and planning
1.2.4.
Income diversification and
economic empowerment of local
farmers (LG at local level)
2022/10/02,11/03,
12/04, 2023/02/02,
03/02, 04/02, 05/08,
06/05
2022/10/08,11/07,
12/02, 02/03, 03/03,
04/03, 05/02, 06/02
2022/11/05,06,07,
12/13, 2023/01/27,
02/07
2023/06/02
2023/06/03
2023/01/26
2023/02/14
April-June 2023
2023/03/15,16
Market days: monthly farmers markets
-Midlands: Bamshela (Ozwathini)
-SKZN: Creighton (Centocow)
- Bergville: Bergville town
-Wartburg farmers Market (Gobizembe
-Hoedspruit farmers’ Market (Sedawa/Maetja, Turkey)
Market exploration workshops
-Midlands: Mayizekanye, Gobizembe
-PGS follow-up w/s Limpopo
-EC_Ned-Nchodu market day in Matatiele
-SKZN: Mariathal
VSLAs
VSLA introduction
-SKZN: Mahhehle
-SKZN: Centocow- Sizakahle
VSLA meetings and share outs
-Bergvile: 9
-SKZN: Ngongonini (3), Centocow (2)
-Midlands: Ozwathini (2)
Limpopo: (7)
Youth tala table value adding training
1.2.5.
Implementation and capacity
development for innovation (3)
and multi-stakeholder platforms
(3)
2022/11/18
2022/11/10
2022/12/01
2023/02/23
2023/02/28
2023/03/08,09
2023/03/28,29
2023/03/30, 06/02
2023/04/26
2023/05/09
-SKZN: Centocow P&D control cross visit and learning
workshop
-uThukela water source forum: Visioning and action
planning – Bergville
-Adaptation Network AGM
-Regenerative Agric farmers’ day in Bergville incl Asset
research, uThukela Water Source Forum, uThukela
Development Agency
-Adaptation Network: CCA financing dialogue
-SANBI_gender mainstreaming dialogue
-WRC-ESS: Bglv Ezibomvini, Stulwane –resource
management mapping and planning
-Okahlamba LED forum
-Farmers X visit between Bulwer (supported by the INR0
and Bergville around CRA, fodder and restoration
-PGS-SA: market training input: Online training Session 5
1.2.6.
Indicator development for
evidence-basedindicators, M&E
and handbook development
2023/01/30- 02/03
2023/02/02
2023/01/18
2023/02/06-10
2023/01/18
2023/02/20
Limpopo: Focus Group discussions for VSLA and
microfinance for the rural poor x 3 (Turkey, Worcester,
Santeng)
Garden monitoring:
-SKZN: Plainhill, Spring Valley, Mariathal, Centocow
-EC: 5 villages
Bgvl:5 villages
CA monitoring
-EC:5 villages
-KZN: Bergville -30, Midlands 15, SKZN 15
1.2.7.
Implementation of sustainable
water management
2023/01/03-02/03
2023/03/07
2023/03/25
2023/04/25, 06/01,02
KZN: Bergville: Stulwane –Conflict man andupgrading
sprint protection
KZN BGVl: Vimbukhalo system repair, committee meetings
EC: Nkau: Water walk and meetings for spring protection
and reticulation
KZN: Bgvl Stulwane_ Engineer visits 9Alalin Marechal) for
scenario development and follow up planning meetings
with community. Set up committee, work parties and
start on quotes and budget outline
1.2.10.
Organisational & capacity
development
2022/11/17
-MDF AGM and organisational capacity development
workshop
Project no 2116ZA311
10
2022/12/05
2023/02/13
2023/02/09, 02/16
2023/03/06
2023/03/13
2023/04/17
2023/05/26
2023/06/12
-Mentoring and planning withnew finance officer to
implement SODI financial reporting system
-Internal short learning event for rainfall and runoff results,
as well as soil fertility and Organic carbon
-Mentoring in CCAworkshop implementation. Temakholo
from Midlands assisted Bergville team
-Team session on gender mainstreaming
- UKZN- Ecological mapping and use of resource planning –
Bgvl team
-VSLAs review and discussion regroup based rules, BLF
updates
- Nutrient analysis for livestock fodder options: facilitated
by Brigid Letty from the INR
-Small business development support planning
Below short narrative summaries are provided for some of the activities undertaken.
1.2.1 CCA introduction and prioritization sessions
1.2.2 CCA training: learning and demonstrations
Trainings have continued in most villages including the following topics: Natural pest and disease control, drip
irrigation, constructing and packing trench beds, mixed cropping, construction of tunnels, poultry
management, soil fertility management and soil and water conservation
For each training session a learning outline is developed, handouts have been produced in isiZulu, isiXhosa, and
Sepedi for distribution and reports are produced with photos and attendance registers.
Trench beds, micro-tunnels and drip irrigation
For the period between April- June the provision of micro-tunnels with learning and implementation in trench
beds, mixed cropping, mulching and assembling tunnels was undertaken. 40 Tunnels have been procured.
Tunnel assembly also includes installation of a bucket drip irrigation system into the tunnel.
Tunnel distribution was done as follows:
➢Limpopo:15 tunnels (10 Sophaya, 5 Madeira)
➢KZN:
oSKZN (9 Mahhehle)
oMidlands (6 Mayizekanye, 3 Ndlaveleni)
oBergville (7 eMadakaneni)
Below is a selection of photographs for trench bed and tunnel assembling undertaken between April-June 2023
Figure 3: Sophaya village in Limpopo, digging and filling trench beds in preapration for tunnel assembly.
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Figure 4: Right andfar Right: Drip
irrigation demsontration in
Sophaya, Limpopo. (April 2023)
Drip irrigation kits are provided-
participants make the dripper holes,
insert the string for line drippers
and assemble the lines linked to the
buckets themselves, to allow
flexibility in design and distance
between dripper and pipes. Line
drippers allow for greywater use for
irrigation.
Figure 5: Tunnel
assmelby process in
Mahhehle, SKZN,
showing the back arch
being put up. The trench
beds are preapred before
the tunnel is constructed
over them. Far Right: The
LG members interplant a
mixture of seedlings-
cabbage, beetroot,
lettuce as well as ‚new‘
crops suchas mustard
spinach, Chinese
cabbage, kale, thyme and celery.
Figure 6:Left: A tower garden and newly completed tunnel for Ntombizodwa Ndaba in Mahhehle, SZKN. And
Right: Mbusi hadebe’s garden and tunnel in Centocow, SKZN. He planted all new crops introduced both in his
tunnel and in has more extended garden – here a mixture of mustard spinach, chines cabbage, beetroot and
cabbage are gowing, almost ready for the monthly farmers‘ market.
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Figure 7: First tunnel constructed in
Madeira, Limpopo ( May 2023)
Poultry production
Figure 8: Left:Nondumiso Ganganda’s Boschvelders and layer chickensRight: Nokwanda Mthethwa, uses her
small cage to house her traditional hens with small chicks to allow them to grow faster and unmolested and
will follow the same process once her Boschvelder chickens start rearing their chicks Centocow, SKZN
Figure 9: Thembi Ndlangisa from Marithal 9SKZN) showing eggs collected form her 6 layers, shown alongside.
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Natural Pest and disease control
Refresher courses were provided to a number of learning groups in Limpopo and also was introduced in
Bergville to the new learning groups in eMadakaneni and..
In limpopo participants mentioned the following in temrs of what they are implmenting already from previous
learning sessions:
1.Foilar spray- Farmers remembered the spray and all the ingredients required to make a foilar spray.
They also remembered that the spray is used for pest control and soil fertility.
2.Liquid manure –Farmers explainedthat liquid manure is easy to make intheir garden as they have
materials available forthem unlike thefoilar spay. Out of 42farmers that attended the workshopin
Sedawa, 37 farmers are still usingthe liquid manure for soil fertilityand pest control more especially
pests like aphids and red spider.
3.Plant teas from banana stems, aloe and blackjack- for pests’ control in their gardens like beetles and
whiteflies. A tea made of aloe plant is used to spray pests on tomatoes.
4.Mixed cropping –farmers have implemented mixed cropping of herbs and flowers along with their
vegetables.
Often farmers ask for further trianing, because they are having specific problems. In Limpopo the situation with
thier mango trees has become critical as they are losing a lot of fruit and had almost zero harveststhis summer
season.
They are epxeriencing new and unkown disease conditions, shown in the pictures below.
Figure 10: exmaples of
new disease in mangoes
in Limpopo. A quick
desktop trawl indicates
this tobe a Xanthomons
spp infection.
A specific session in terms
of orchard and tree
management to reduce
the spread and manage
the problem is to be held for the mango producers in these villages.
Participants in Willows also discussed issues with livestock diseases, the occurrence of lumpyskin disease and
assocaited infrections beingin the forfront of their minds. They have had to resort to working with a pritvate
veterinarian as the Government vet has been unavailable for supprot for some time. This is not an aspect
where MDF can intervene directly for the moment, but the topics is kept on the agenda, so that poitns can be
raised once the arrangements with Conservaiton South Africa nad Meat Naturally are in place.
1.2. 4 Economic empowerment and income diversification
Local marketing: Monthly market stalls
Generally the market stalls were irregular and not well stocked in the summer season, due to participants’
habit of focusing on field crops during summer. This has been the case in all areas, although the Ozwathini
(Midlands) and Centocow (SKZN) monthly farmers markets have continued throughout.
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A trend also is that a small number of farmers remain committed to this avenue of selling over the longer term;
usually between 5-9 farmers rep marketing group.
The markets are now gaining momentum again.
Areas where markets have been initiated or re-initiated include:
➢Gobizembe (Midlands) -April2023
➢Hoedspruit farmers Market (Limpopo_Turkey, Sedawa, Mametja)- May2023
➢Bergville farmers market (Bgvl_Ezibomvini, Stulwane, Eqeleni)- May2023
Below is a table summarizing the market dates and incomes
Some indicative pictures follow:
Figure 11: Pictures of Gobizembe and ozwathini markets undertaken in Wartburg and Bamshela towns
respectively-may 2023
Figure 12: The PGS
marketing group
from
Sedawa/Mametja
and turkey
running amarket
stall at hOedspruit
farmers market,
with the youth
marketing group
(June2023).
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Village Savings and Loan Associations
For these groups monthly savings and loan meetings are held for all the groups being supported. Each group
committee and bookkeeper are responsible for keeping the records of the groups. Facilitation support is
provided for most months for each group by the Mahlathini team. This is very intensive in terms of time and
effort, but is required to build a transparent and accountable habit when working with monies at a local level.
The table below summarizes the transactions for all VSLA groups in Limpopo and KZN being support. In the EC –
Matatiele region the savings groups are managed by SaveAct
Figure 13:Above Clockwise from top left: Gobizembe Lg market in Wartburg – 1st marketa view
Table 4: Summary of VSLA transactions as of March 2023
Area
No
.
Village
Group Name
NO. OF
PEOPL
E
CUM #
OF
SHARE
S
VALUE OF
TOTAL
SHARES
LOAN
REPAID
TODAY
NEW LOAN
TAKEN
NEW
BALANCE
Bergville
1
Ezibomvini
Ezibomvini
19
75
R7 500,00
R410,00
R3 900,00
R8 320,00
2
Ezibomvini
Ukuzama
13
42
R4 200,00
R0,00
R4 200,00
R4 200,00
3
Emazimbeni
Nyonyana
23
181
R18 100,00
R1 520,00
R5 900,00
R19 650,00
4
Emabunzini
Isibonelo
19
113
R11 300,00
R0,00
R6 400,00
R11 300,00
5
Eqeleni
Masibambane
20
0
R0,00
R1 440,00
R5 600,00
R1 480,00
6
Eqeleni
Masithuthuke
19
0
R0,00
R3 350,00
R10 100,00
R3 615,00
7
Stulwane
Mbalenhle
20
110
R11 000,00
R410,00
R1 500,00
R13 930,00
8
Ndunwane
Mphelandaba
15
29
R2 900,00
R0,00
R2 900,00
R2 900,00
9
Emabunzini
Sakhokuhle
19
719
R71 900,00
R13 830,00
R0,00
R106 360,00
10
Vimbukhalo
Ukhamba
20
151
R15 100,00
R860,00
R7 500,00
R16 020,00
11
Stulwane
Vukuzenzele
17
124
R12 400,00
R740,00
R6 400,00
R14 030,00
12
Stulwane
Umtwana 2
16
83
R8 300,00
R400,00
R4 700,00
R8 700,00
13
Stulwane
Umtwana 1
16
104
R10 400,00
R100,00
R5 300,00
R10 800,00
14
Emadakeneni
Azam
14
66
R6 600,00
R1 280,00
R3 100,00
R7 960,00
15
Stulwane
Ithembalethu
19
104
R10 400,00
R590,00
R5 000,00
R11 080,00
16
Stulwane
Zebra
14
103
R10 300,00
R490,00
R6 200,00
R12 820,00
17
Emahlathini
Senzakahle
36
567
R56 700,00
R11 110,00
R0,00
R113 710,00
18
Stulwane
Sondelani
14
135
R13 500,00
R750,00
R5 100,00
R14 300,00
19
Stulwane
Mzizi
18
200
R20 000,00
R0,00
R5 300,00
R20 000,00
20
Emahlathini
Masiphumulele
10
276
R27 600,00
R4 900,00
R0,00
R49 700,00
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21
Stulwane
Thuthukani
19
81
R8 100,00
R500,00
R2 500,00
R9 800,00
22
Stulwane
Inkanyezi
19
44
R4 400,00
R0,00
R3 600,00
R5 200,00
SKZN
23
Centocow
Sizaneno
13
149
R29 800,00
R6 930,00
R0,00
R64 936,00
24
Mahhehle
Qedindlala
24
117
R11 700,00
R2 850,00
R11 050,00
R18 050,00
25
madzikane
senzokuhle
16
700
R70 000,00
R2 550,00
R0,00
R126 815,00
26
madzikane
sukuma sakhe
8
89
R17 800,00
R0,00
R0,00
R25 505,00
27
madzikane
masibambane
15
517
R103 400,00
R65 220,00
R0,00
R168 620,00
28
ngongonini
umnothowethu
30
152
R15 200,00
R380,00
R9 800,00
R18 960,00
Midlands
29
ozwathini
sikhulile
19
561
R56 100,00
R12 860,00
R7 500,00
R91 743,00
30
ozwathini
siyakhaya
13
519
R51 900,00
R20 163,00
R0,00
R72 063,00
Limpopo
31
Worcester
Rutanang
18
106
R10 600
R3770
R14 650
R14 370
32
Santeng
Rekakgona
19
222
R22 200
R12 110
R 28 100
R34 310
33
The Willows
Epopong
19
41
R4 100
R -
R4 100
R4 100
34
Turkey
Refentse
19
271
R27 100
R 30 141
R 44 000
R57 241
35
Turkey
Tswelapele
19
476
R47 600
R 41 064
R 62 700
R88 664
36
Maderia
Hlalefangng 1
19
642
R64 200
R 88 390
R 130 600
R152 590
37
Madeira
Thusanang
17
115
R11 500
R -
R 9 000
R11 500
38
Sedawa
Kopano Ke maatla
19
151
R15 100
R 4 350
R 18 000
R19 450
TOTALS
686
8135
R889 000,00
R333 457,90
R434 700,00
R1 434 791,90
As shown in the totals there are presently 686 participants in VSLA groups with a total savings of R1 ,435
million. This equates to a financial contribution to savings for each participant of around R2 100 annually and is
around 10% of the average income per participant. These provide important safety nets, consumption
smoothing options and cash flow for micro enterprises and farming activities.
An issue that has needed attention in the last few months is absenteeism in the monthly meetings. Members
are sometimes busy during the week and or weekend and opt to send representatives or to just provide their
monies to the committee to deal with in the meeting. This has become so common that sometimes only 3-4
people attend the monthly meetings, which negates the group accountability process inherent to this system.
Thus, sessions are being held to review the group rules and commitments and to also deal with other
irregularities that have been creeping in, notably that some members take loans that are too large and cannot
repay them and that the bookkeepers are not available or able to do the necessary record keeping.
Below are a few photographs of VSLA meeting undertaking between April-June 2023
Figure 14: the Sizaneno VLSA in Cnetocow share out meeting in April2023, where 11 members shared
R37680
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1.2.5 Innovation platforms and multi stakeholder engagement
Multistakeholder forums
Mahlathini is involved in a number of regional, provincial and national forums, networks and processes.
Activities are summarized in the table below.
Table 5: Summary of multistakeholder engagement: Oct2022-June 2023
Organisation
Activity - Description
Dates
uThukela
Development
Agency
Fresh produce marketing, 1st week of every month
Oct 2022-March
2023
Asset Research-
Maize Trust, SODI
Regenerative Agriculture farmers’ open day in Bergville
23rd Feb 2023
SAPPI
Meeting with Vimbukhalo community representatives
2nd Meeting with SAPPI re spring protection support
13th October 2022
24th Feb 2023
ESS research - WRC
UKZN research in ecosystem services mapping supported by
MDF: water walks, focusgroup discussions, planning, eco-
champs, spring protection work in Stulwane, thematic and
mapping workshops in Ezibomvini and Stulwane
23rd September 2022
14th October 2022
13,29,30 March 2023
WWF Water source
forum
uThukela catchment partnership: Stakeholder meetings, online
and in person at OLM board room Bergville
29th September 2022
10th November 2022
SANBI- Living
Catchment
Programme
Social facilitation capacity building workshop –Western Cape;
M Malinga
Olifants’ water indaba: M Malinga, N Mbokazi, H Hlongwane, B
Maimela and E Kruger
Videoon local initiatives in catchment management
3rd-5th October 2022
30thOct-2ndNov
2022
24th March 2023
SANBI
Climate change adaptation and gender mainstreaming
dialogue – presentation and participation
8th-9th March 2023
UKZN and
Adaptation
Network
Ukulinga Howard Davis memorial symposium: Presentation on
CbCCA in Bergville: E Kruger T Mathebula, N Sibiya
12th October 2022
Adaptation
Network
Policy input and AGM
Ongoing input and involvement in the Capacity development
working group: to implement thenewCivilSociety
Organisation Skills Enhancement and Excellence Development
(CSO SEED) project, funded by the Flanders government.Some
of these activities include youth-led participatory videos on
adaptation initiatives and some thematic field visits and
exchanges between AN CSO member projects.
13th October 2022
1st December 2022
7th , 8th Feb 2023
15th March 2023
PGS-SA
Quarterly meeting: Discuss mapping of PGS organisations,
finalisation of certificate and use of seals and logos. Finalisation
of smallholder farm assessment form
PGS-Certification working group
Online market development training: Input into session 5
17th Nov 2022
13th Feb 2023
9th May 2023
Agroecology
network
Online meeting and policy involvement for reviewing of the
Nationaldepartment of Agriculture’s climate change
adaptation master plan (CCAMP). Letter to the minister
compiled and endorsed. Led by Mr Stephen Greenberg,
arranged by the African Centre for Biodiversity
18th November 2022
Okhahlamba LM
Agriculture and Land summit: MDF presentation and marketing
30th November 2022
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Other networking and stakeholder events and processes
MDF participated in develpment of hte PGS-SA online market developmentnational trianing course, by
providing a case study on local market development and market stalls for Module 5 of the course. A summary
of the presentation is provided in Appendix 1. In addition the youth group in Mametka-Sekororo and 2 field
staff have attended the entire course of 8 Modules – with weekly sessions between April and June.
A farmer level cross visit between CA farmers and individuals working on resotration in their areas in
Bulwer/Impendle, was undertkane to Bergville on Wednesday the 26th of April. The visitors were taken to
Stulwane to see the CA trial fields at Dombi Ntshingila’s household, CA trial fields, fodder trial and remedial
plots at Khulekani Dladla’s homestead, and lastly to Sthabiso Manyathi’s household in Qeleni. The visits started
at Mrs Msele’s for introductions and discussion with the Stulwane farmers. As Nelisiwe Msele explained what
they do from gardens to CA to poultry and savings, there were a lot of questions and suggestions from the
guest farmers which led to very interesting discussions.
Figure 15: Right:
Visitors in
Khulekani’s remedial
trail plot and looking
at fodder planted for
livestock and Far
right: Nothile Zondi
shows the visitors
the MBLI
conservaiton
agirculture planters
that they prefer to
use in Stulwane,
Bergville
stall: All Bergville staff, farmers representatives and eco champs
Okahlamba LED forum meetings
30thMarch 2023,7th
June 2023
Afromontane
research Centre
Maloti-Drakensberg Climate Change Workshop
Wageningen/UFS: Land futures course - Bgvl
12-14 December
2022
7-10th March 2023
IWMI
Transformative futures for water security dialogue,
participation
26th-27th Jan 2023
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1.2.6 Indicator development, Monitoring and evaluation.
To date, informal moniotring has taken place. In addtion the monotiring forms have been developed for
individaul garden moniotring, poultry moniotring and field cropping moniotring. Field teams are in the process
of intervwiing participants. This process is spread over a few months as these interviews are undertaken while
doing other work in the commuitieis. Appendix 1 provides outlines of the moniotring forms to be used.
1.2.7 Sustainable water management
KwaZulu Natal
There are three funcional village level water committees in Bergillve – Vimbukhalo, Ezibomvini and Stulwane.
Presently funding nad implmentation support is provided with small budgets provided by the WWF and the
Water Research commission (Ecosystem services research in association with UKZN-CWRR).
In Stulwane and Vimbukhalo the engineer providing supprot visited ot develop technical and budget scenarios
for further intervnetions in small localsied water access options in Vimbukhalo nad Stulwane villages in
Bergville. This was followed by a decision to itervene in Sutlwane and community meetings held in early June,
allowed for planning of commuity inputs in terms of labour and financial contributions, elelction of
committeess for Sections A and B of the villgae and bringing on borad ward councilors into the proposed
abstraction from a stream above hte ivllage ot service 72 households with communal taps.
Figure 16: Above Left and Right: Community meeting in Stulwnae for planning of water access from
mountain stream and Interns nad Eco-champs finalising the household lists on the map.
Matatiele (EC)
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In two of hte villages, Ned and Nkau participants are orgnaising themselves into groups to tackle water access.
In Nkau, 9 participants have comme together, collected contributions of around R1 000 and gained permission
for the TA ward councillor Mr John Moutaung for a spring protection and reticulation process. MDF has agreed
ot intervene in the community planning and physical design of the system and to discuss with role-players in
Matatiele (ERS and Lima) the option of providing some limited ifnancial support and to ensure abstraction is
within lealg paramteres nad the
small scheme is registered as
required.
Figure 17: Left: A view of the
stream in the hills above Naku
viallge , showing signs of eorsion
nadflooding and Right: Spring
participants want toprotect and
pipe water to their homesteads
for household and farming use.
Assessment of progress
The project is on track and no major deviations in the project planning and implementation is envisaged.
Other comments
The programme is multi-faceted and complex. To streamline activities, a seasonal approach has been instituted
– allowing for a focus on field cropping in summer, poultry production in autumn and spring and vegetable
production from autumn through spring.
The initiation of the livestock management activities requires working with a slightly different target group, as
the membership of the CRA learning groups is heavily skewed towards women. It would need to include the
traditional authorities, dip tank committees and livestock associations in the selected villages. In addition,
grazing management requires a community level focus on resource conservation and management which is
often difficult to initiate and achieve. There is generally a high level of conflict in the communities related to
livestock. Thus the focus will be on a selection of villages where inroads have been made and where a
partnership with Conservation South Africa and Meat Naturally is also possible. These are 3 villages in
Mametja-Sekororo (Limpopo) and 3 villages in the Bergville region of KZN. In Matatiele, the villages need to be
included into the existing Meat Naturally local auctions process in partnership with ERS. Work on these
initiatives is to commence this winter (June-July 2023).
A similar complexity plays out for the initiation of the water committees and water access activities as these
require full community involvement and positive support form the local governance structures such as the
Traditional Authorities, Local Municipalities and Water Service Authorities. Here the mandate for water
provision sits with the District Municipalities and the water service authorities and activities cannot be
undertaken without their involvement. It is easier to initiate these activities in regions where there is already a
multistakeholder focus on the water management issues in the region, which is part of the reason the strategic
water source area communities have been prioritized for this programme. Definite and positive progress is
being made in the Bergville region of KZN, with the support and back stopping from organizations linked to the
fledgling uThukela catchment management partnership. IN Limpopo a process known as the mountain streams
Project no 2116ZA311
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initiative, being developed under the auspices of the district development model and the Water Research
Commission is showing promise in providing a favourable institutional setting for this work. In Matatiele (EC)
and ongoing relationship with the Umzimvubu catchment forum and ERS is proving useful.
Date: 7 April 2023
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APPENDIX 1: PGSSA: Local marketing initiative case study for Module
5 of training course
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