Sasol Climate Change Report 2023 - Book - Page 52
INTRODUCTION
TRANSFORMING FOR RESILIENCE
GOVERNANCE
CLIMATE ADVOCACY AND POLICY
DATA AND ASSURANCE
ADAPTATION CONTINUED
Community engagement
We cooperate with local authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities to enable adaptation to climate change
and build resilience to extreme weather events.
Fenceline communities, particularly in South Africa,
were the focus of our investments in community
adaptation and upliftment in 2023. Examples of
interventions include:
CLEAN WATER ACCESS
Providing 30 water tanks, each with a capacity
of 5 000 litres, to three water-stressed
communities and funding water tanks at 23
schools in the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
We also sponsored water infrastructure
including pipelines and treatment facilities.
METSIMAHOLO ORANJEVILLE FISHERIES
Equipping community members outside
Sasolburg with the ability to create and sustain
an aquaculture cooperative. By combining
adaptation strategies with job creation
opportunities, the programme enables
community members to develop sustainable
livelihoods while fostering the preservation and
resilience of aquatic resources.
In the context of climate change and its impact on adaptation, small-scale farming has emerged as a crucial
tool for combating rural poverty and promoting rural economic development. The National Development Plan
recognises agriculture as the sector with the highest potential for job creation.
Climate change has led to a shift towards localised farming practices globally. However, aspiring farmers face
numerous barriers that hinder their growth and transition to commercial farming. These challenges include
limited access to training in efficient farming techniques as well as constraints related to land, infrastructure,
finance and markets. Unlocking the immense potential of small-scale farming to alleviate poverty and food
shortages requires appropriate support.
R7 MILLION SPENT ON SMALL-SCALE FARMER DEVELOPMENT //
Iphepe Community Agriculture Empowerment Project
We collaborated with the Small Enterprise
Development Agency (SEDA) Mpumalanga
to support Iphepe through a farming
mentorship programme. Our initiative
focused on identifying and addressing
skills gaps among farmers by offering
modules on book-keeping and facilitating
access to markets. In 2023, 102
beneficiaries were successfully trained
and mentored in agricultural skills. The
beneficiaries were from Sasolburg,
Ekandustria, Middelburg and Secunda.
The project was implemented to address
issues of employability and to impart
self-sustaining skills within our communities.
To date, the Iphepe project with our partners,
Buhle Farmers9 Academy, African Farmers9
Association of South Africa and SEDA has
seen 102 emerging farmers trained in various
agriculture disciplines at Buhle Academy.
Another farmer, from the Govan Mbeki Municipality,
Bethal, belongs to a family that benefited from
the government9s Land Restitution Programme.
This farmer is currently finalising agreements to
supply two supermarkets with fresh produce.
These developments are celebrated as they
demonstrate tangible outcomes of the
programme. By empowering small-scale farmers,
we are not only stimulating rural economies but
also bringing about transformation within their
communities. This approach further contributes
to diversity, equality and inclusivity within the
agricultural sector.
In 2023, ~R7 million was spent on training, farmers9
development mentorship and starter kits.
Two notable success stories stand out among
our beneficiaries. The first farmer, based in
the Pixley ka Seme Municipality (Amersfoort),
completed training in vegetable production
and farm business management. As a result,
the farmer successfully cultivated eight
hectares of dry beans and one hectare of
other vegetables.
2023 Iphepe training graduates, Secunda, South Africa
Communal borehole, Temane, Mozambique
Sustainable fisheries, Free State, South Africa
SASOL CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT 2023
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