Adaptation with a Human Face: Participatory Action Research and the climate challenge in the Suid Bokkeveld, Northern Cape

Abstract:

 Participatory Action Research with small-scale rooibos farmers in the Suid-Bokkeveld has addressed adaptation to greater climatic extremes and other issues of importance to the members of the community, including economic and social development and sustainable agricultural production. Climate change predictions for this already marginal agricultural area indicate increasing vulnerability of agricultural enterprises and the rural community. In collaboration with the Heiveld Co-operative, two NGOs have facilitated an on-going process that has included quarterly ‘Climate Change Preparedness Workshops’. This work has resulted in a range of practical responses and enhanced capacities that provide some insights from a South African perspective about ‘how to facilitate learning, information exchange, reflection, innovation, and anticipation, all of which are key elements in the practical reality of the adaptation process’ Tschakert and Dietrich (2010).

Bio: Noel Oettlé is the Environmental Monitoring Group’s Rural Programme Manager and Managing Director for Avontuur Sustainable Agriculture. He serves on the Board of the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation, and is Chair of the Steering Committee of the South African Adaptation Network. Noel is based in the village of Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Development from the University of London. His work focuses on facilitating learning processes to enable marginalised rural people to improve the quality of their lives by enhancing their livelihoods through the sustainable use of natural resources, local institutional development and improved market access. This includes providing support to small-scale producers to conserve biodiversity in their production systems, adapt their land use practices to climatic variability, establish co-operatives and enter global markets with organic and Fairtrade certified products.


*Bring your own lunch, refreshments will be provided