World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA)

Cape Town, Afrique du Sud

An Overview Of Our Solution

WWF’s Conservation Champions Programme – previously Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) – is a highly successful model, changing agricultural activities to ensure environmental best practice in South Africa’s (SA) wine industry. The Programme integrates biodiversity into the industry’s environmental certification scheme and provides free support to committed landowners. Within 10 years, biodiversity-friendly farming practices have been embedded in 90% of SA’s wine producers and long-term conservation commitments in place for highly threatened land in global biodiversity hotspots. Following significant success at farm level, WWF supports Conservation Champion producers in collective action and innovation at the landscape-level through water stewardship, integrated fire and invasive plant management, soil conservation, ecotourism and conservancy groups.

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Urban

Organization type

À but non lucratif

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Freshwater

Oceans/Coasts

Population impacted

Each worker supports family of 4 = 105 860 people

Size of agricultural area

106 017 ha under vines

Production quantity

1 477 948 tonnes/ year – ranking, by volume, as the 8th largest wine producing country in world

People employed

61 435 formally employed in SA’s wine industry (farm workers); 276 465 seasonal workers (in the broader industry value-chain and wine tourism)

Describe your solution

This partnership between conservation and wine industry shows how in just 10 years, an entire sector – of many individual landowners – can self-regulate and reduce environmental impact, whilst making significant contributions to long-term conservation. Each landowner received support to identify unique biodiversity to protect. Practical biodiversity guidelines and free technical advisory support assisted landowners to develop farm environmental management plans and implementation of biodiversity-friendly farming. In a decade, 250 producers had a conservation stewardship footprint of over 140 000 ha – more area under long-term conservation than vineyard (106 000 ha) in the Cape winelands – with further expansion steered away from critical biodiversity areas! These biodiversity and conservation success stories are a unique selling point for marketing SA wines and growing tourism. Building from this programme, the SA wine industry is now leading efforts to influence other agriculture sectors (fruit, grains) and their value-chain partners (business, retailers) to engage in key landscape issues. Key components of the solution: • well-coordinated approach with key partners (conservation, private sector, agriculture) • industry-wide self-regulation with minimum compliance, good practice and guidance • expert and collaborative support – a voluntary and free service to farmers • landscape models to upscale learning and extend influence to other sectors

Describe your implementation

BWI worked with wine producers by providing free advisory support as an incentive to farmers to support sustainable land management. This created buy-in to identify priority biodiversity to be conserved in long-term stewardship agreements. In 2008, biodiversity guidelines were embedded into the industry’s certification scheme assessments (Integrated Production of Wine Scheme – IPW, www.ipw.co.za) – regularly updated and holistic, they include fire and alien invasive plant management, soil conservation, cover crops and integrated pest control, protection and restoration of freshwater systems (wetlands, riparian buffers, floodplains), solid and wastewater management and recycling, and environmentally-sensitive wildlife conflict (baboons, buck, birds). In parallel, WWF worked closely with the wine industry (research and technical support, and marketing) and the markets (export and local retailers) to drive industry IPW certification to be a formal market requirement and a pre-requisite for exporting wine. This was achieved, and successfully launched, in 2010 under a collaborative consumer-facing label of Sustainable Wines South Africa (www.swsa.co.za), which now appears on every aligned wine bottle. By 2014, 90% of wine producers (by volume) were registered and supported by IPW and displaying the Sustainable Wines SA label. At this point, WWF repositioned focus to a landscape level, and launched the Conservation Champion programme to drive innovation and best practice with the industry’s environmental leaders. An obstacle for the Programme has been developing the economic model that would not incur cost to the producer to restore and conserve biodiversity. The goal is now to build consumer awareness around the logo and drive increased demand which will provide the economic sustainability through a % per bottle sold. Winning this prize money will allow the programme to explore this and other options which are vital to long term viability.

External connections

• Initial co-funding by Wines of South Africa. Partners: SA Wine Council, Wines of SA (WOSA), Integrated Production of Wine, Vinpro (research and technical consultancy). • National and provincial authorities for Environment, Development Planning and Tourism, Water and Agriculture and their technical advisory services included on steering committee. • Partnership with Dept. of Agriculture and provincial conservation agency for collaborative support services, training and co-funding of activities on stewardship sites. • BWI is leading model informing other business and biodiversity initiatives, supporting rooibos, sustainable wildflower harvesting and ostrich farmers. WWF-SA and Conservation International SA partnered to develop GreenChoice Alliance to support knowledge transfer to other agricultural commodities. WWF is expanding service to fruit, sugar and grain sectors • BWI received global recognition as an innovative model for replication in global wine industry including Vinecology Group (California, Chile, Australia, New Zealand), especially Chile who used the model. • Currently developing key retailer and tourism sector partners and promoting logo to drive market and consumer awareness and demand.

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

SA’s WC province is home to 2 global biodiversity hotspots: Succulent Karoo and Cape Floral Kingdom. The latter, Fynbos, is the smallest and most diverse of the world’s 6 plant kingdoms: 90 000 km2 boasts 9 500 plant species of which 70% are endemic. This region consists of many critically endangered habitats, vast wetland areas, freshwater systems and some of the world’s oldest soils. It also contains 95% of SA’s vineyards – the Cape winelands. A comprehensive bioregional conservation plan – Cape Action Plan for People and the Environment – showed that the greatest threats to the long-term preservation and effective management of this unique region were agricultural expansion (mostly vineyards), the rapid spread and poor control of alien invasive plants, too frequent wildfires and urbanization. As the most of these areas are privately owned, landowner buy-in and stewardship was critical to the long-term success of restoring and reconnecting the ecosystem and biodiversity.

Describe the context in which you are operating

Agriculture has the largest impact on biodiversity loss, but is an important sector in SA, both to maintain a food secure nation and for improving household nutrition and financial security through job creation and rural redevelopment. Yet, economic growth and development is limited by already overcommitted natural resources (land, water, energy).

Primary agriculture contributes only 2-3% of SA’s GDP, yet upstream and downstream benefits (including jobs) are significant as unemployment is 27%. The fastest growing economic driver in WC is local and international tourism (think fine dining, wine experiences, ecotourism) which provides year-round jobs, revenue and other opportunities.

Agriculture’s future growth and expansion is highly constrained due to limited high-value agricultural soils (13% of SA soil is arable, and only 3% classified truly fertile), growing water scarcity and energy insecurity. As agricultural expands into more marginal soils, more water and agro-chemical inputs will be required to boost yield and production.

Agriculture is the largest water user – using 62% of available surface freshwater. The current drought and extreme weather events (wildfires, floods, high winds) highlight increasing risk and volatility, yet agriculture is at the forefront of a transition in SA towards a low water, low carbon economy. A key part of this is ensuring that adequate natural land is restored and resilient in the face of climate change and other challenges.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

• 140 000 ha of critical biodiversity on farms set aside in voluntary stewardship agreements with landowners, with annually reviewed environmental management plans, reconnecting ecosystems and charismatic species such as the Cape leopard, caracals, porcupines and birds within working landscapes. • Alien clearing resulted in flowing streams that haven’t flowed in years, as well as less flooding and reduced soil erosion where wetlands have been restored. • Social initiatives that impact the environment include job creation at indigenous nurseries and alien plant clearing. • 90% of SA wine producers (by volume) registered with IPW – and display Sustainable Wines SA label – as well as manage their natural ecosystems alongside production vineyards and cellars. • 39 WWF Conservation Champions up-scaling impact across landscapes by leading landowner conservancies, collaborative water stewardship initiatives and Fire Protection Associations in their regions.

Language(s)

English, Afrikaans, Xhosa

Water

Clearing of water-thirsty invasive alien plant biomass in freshwater systems led to replenishment of streams. River health assessments, flow and quality monitoring, protection of river, wetlands, treatment and re-use of wastewater, collective catchment action beyond on farm for collective water stewardship, focus on water efficiency and reduction of use through innovative technology in irrigation and closed grey water systems in cellars.

Food Security/Nutrition

Economic security of key GDP contributor in province, number of beneficiaries from farm worker employments (61 435 farm worker employed full time ) providing household food security through good quality nutrition, as healthier natural areas contribute to healthier soils and more stable landscapes able to adapt to climate change challenges.

Economic/Sustainable Development

Agriculture and tourism are key economic drivers in the Western Cape and wine is a main export product (with 61 435 formally employed (farm workers), 276 465 seasonal and value-chain work opportunities created. Awareness and support was generated for these environmentally sustainable wine producers through the marketing of South African wines and wine tourism.

Climate

Monitoring and tracking carbon emissions and reduction, switching to renewable energy alternatives, climate adaptation measures on farm (e.g. restoration of wetlands, floodplains and riparian buffers to reduce impacts of floods and drought, partnering with key retailers/ supply chain on micro-financing of climate protection measures, such as shade cloth for wind and hail damage). Restoring natural habitat increases landscape resilience.

Sustainability

A funded pilot proved great demand and willingness for this approach (supported by WWF Nedbank Green Trust and wine industry). 90% of producers are accredited and serviced by IPW (with annual levy). WWF drives long-term, legally-binding conservation agreements and new innovations (renewable energy, water efficiencies and climate adaptation measures), and continues to secure value chain partners (Nedbank, RMB, UPM, Woolworths). Envisaged to become a self-sustaining user pay model within 3 years – once Conservation Champions established as well-recognized brand by local and international retailer, tourism and hospitality partners – driving up the number of membership fees to a viable level to support the operational costs

Return on investment

To date, this initiative has cost less than US$650,000 over 10 years, to provide a full-time coordinator (partnership management, strategy development and oversight, planning and implementation) and a full-time officer to support producers in implementing the biodiversity guidelines, developing specific farm management plans, supporting conservation stewardship agreements, and training and capacity building. Numerous studies have shown this initiative to be one of the cheapest and most effective ways to engage landowners in long-term stewardship arrangements and industry-wide adoption of sustainable and effective biodiversity-friendly land management practices.

Entrant Image

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

This business and biodiversity initiative has influenced many other agricultural sectors locally – WWF is now engaging with fruit, sugar, grains and livestock sectors. Retailer partnerships are exploring how to learn from and replicate models of collaborative technical advisory services and farmer support across their supply chains. Globally, BWI has informed development across other Mediterranean wine regions. Key focus now is how to support biodiversity good practice at farm level through collaborative partnership with central, regularly and easily updated information; how to combine resources (capacity and finances) to support implementation and well-coordinated mapping, cross-boundary management of natural areas on farms; and linking consumer awareness and growing demand for ethical and responsible products, encouraging market support and coordinating standards.

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The WWF Biodiversity & Wine Initiative

Overview