13 November 2023
By: Lebogang Mashala
About 40 smallholder farmers in Limpopo’s Mogalakwena Municipality were thrilled to receive their competency certificates after attending a three-day workshop on crop production (vegetables) and basic animal care.
This workshop was part of the Ambassador for Good project, funded by Anglo American Foundation and De Beers, which aims to empower rural farmers and strengthen household food security through climate-smart and sustainable use of natural resources.
The project involving several villages outside Mokopane was completed in collaboration with African Farming, the Red Meat Institute for Transformation and Enterprise Development (RMITED) and Kea Ncube Agri Services.
RMITED provided a detailed course on basic animal care while Kea Ncube provided training on climate-smart crop production. Other partners included John Deere, Hollard Insurance, FarmSol Holdings and BanQu.
Ambassador for Good is a skills-based volunteering programme that allows appointed ambassadors to support causes they are passionate about and make a life-changing difference to those around them with funding from the Anglo American Foundation.
Launched in 2018, the programme won the Impact2030 Innovation Award and was inspired by Anglo American’s Embajadores programme in Chile. It empowers employees to use their professional and personal skills and gives them the chance to learn from diverse cultures and communities worldwide. It also provides the opportunity to collaborate with partner organisations on projects that meet the needs of Anglo/De Beers host communities.
Maphuti Mongatane, African Farming marketing and PR manager, was named this year’s Ambassador for Good and led the initiative in her hometown of Bakenberg, Limpopo. She said the programme is a rural community outreach project that aims to develop skills and ensure household food security through the sustainable use of natural resources.
According to Mongatane, Anglo American and De Beers are committed to the sustainable use of natural resources and environmentally friendly practices in mining and food production.
Ambassador for Good has three key priorities: creating economic opportunity, building resilience and giving the youth a voice.
Diksha Pillay, scope 3 carbon neutral principal at De Beers, said climate change and unemployment are significant threats to young people’s futures and livelihoods. “To tackle this issue, the project aims to unlock green growth in communities and create sustainable jobs.”
Pillay said climate change mitigation and adaptation are crucial components of Anglo American’s sustainable mining plan and De Beers Group’s Building Forever 2030 goals, which have set carbon-neutral targets.
“Thus, the project can align with these objectives by raising awareness among farmers about climate-change impacts, promoting climate-smart agricultural practices and supporting the adoption of sustainable farming techniques,” she said.
“This will contribute to the overall aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience to climate change and promoting sustainable livelihoods.”
Pillay said the company has a goal of reducing freshwater withdrawal by 50% and creating a net positive impact. The project aligned with these goals by promoting sustainable farming practices that reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, such as soil conservation, water management and biodiversity conservation. “This can contribute to the overall goal of minimising ecological footprint and promoting sustainable land use.”
Mongatane said smallholder and emerging farmers typically have limited resources and face greater vulnerability to climate change, while heavily relying on agriculture for their income and livelihoods.
“By increasing awareness and skills related to climate resilience, the project will help communities better understand the challenges they face and equip them with the knowledge and tools to mitigate and adapt to those challenges,” she said.
“This can lead to increased community resilience, improved food security and reduced vulnerability to climate-related risks.”
