1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This final report is written by Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) for the Indali Agricultural Communal Property Association Permaculture Project. It follows the progress report that was compiled and submitted to the sponsor, National Development Agency (NDA), in March 2008. The report is comprised of three sections. The first section covers FTFA background, project background project implementation. The two last sections of the report mainly covers the last tranche paid by NDA, project activities, project objectives achieved/results, project impact, project accountability & sustainability and conclusion.
It was agreed between NDA, FTFA and Indali that implementation of project would be done by project members lead by the project Manager Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng. FTFA responsibility was to assess and monitoring the progress of the project until the implementation phase three is completed. During the project implementation the project leader trained over 450 youths at the project and also involved in school and community outreach programme. The project has generated significant sales from vegetables, herbs and milk (Separate Attachement). A budget of the fund utilisation of this final phase of the project is included (Appendix 1). The budget shows how additional materials were bought for the nursery, irrigation and plant materials. All funds are accounted for in the budget and slips to prove expenditure are provided (Separate Attachement). members appreciated the funding from NDA through FTFA and wrote a thank you letter to show this (Appendix 2) The developmental stages of the project are shown on the photos placed in the body of the report. A Table of resources indicates what has been supplied during this phase (Appendix 3). A section of quotes from projecct members about details of the project is included (Appendix 4).
2. FTFA BACKGROUND & INFORMATION
Started in 1990, FTFA is a South African social enterprise that realizes sustainable development through greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and permaculture food security programmes. FTFA has distributed over 3.7 million trees, facilitated the creation of over 2 500 organic food gardens for the poorest in South Africa and launched the first carbon calculator and the Carbon Standard (now the Carbon Protocol) in this country.
FTFA’s objectives are:
· to contribute to greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and food security;
· to create awareness of the benefits of environmental improvement activities amongst all communities of southern Africa;
· to contribute to poverty alleviation, sustainable development, enhanced environments, capacity building and skills development
Working in partnership, and with the support, endorsement and cooperation of government, the private and public sectors, aid agencies, organisations, media and individuals to achieve these aims, FTFA implements four programmes, namely: Trees for All and Trees for Homes (both registered as carbon offset programmes under the Carbon Protocol of South Africa), Urban Greening and Food Gardening, and EduPlant, each with various projects. These programmes and projects lead to healthier lives for impoverished communities, more sustainable green environments and increased awareness of our impact on the planet and the need to address this. For a complete list of FTFA’s history, development partners, board members, patrons, employees, projects, products, media, financial statements and more, please refer to the award winning website: www.trees.co.za.
3. PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Indali Agricultural Communal Property Association project was formed in 1998 and became operational in the year 2000, after the members received a grant of R1, 5 million from the Department of Agriculture and Conservation to purchase the land, which is approximately 372 hectares. There are thirty permanent members working on the project. FTFA selected the Indali Agricultural Communal Property Association project based on discussions with the group over several years and an evaluation of the potential of this group to reach many others their community.
FTFA is proudily announced that Indali Permaculture food garden project managed to ahieve the stipulated objectives by National development Agency (NDA). In phase 1FTFA and Indali project members managed to design the Indali Permaculture project according to Permaculture ethics and principles. The Zone 1, 2 and 3 were established. These zones are mainly comprise of intensive vegetable production, fruit-trees and alley croping integrated with fruit-trees such as plums, apricot, fig trees and lemons. FTFA facilitated the purchasing of the project bakkie which is used for transporting the produces from the project to the market. The tractor which was disfunctional was also repaired.
FTFA sent five project members to attend a two week Permaculture Design Course in Free State. This course enabling the five project members to acquire necessary Permaculture skills and information to empower other project members back to the project. There was also an AgriBusiness training which was attended by thirty (30) project members and FTFA project officers to ensure that Indali could run the Permaculture project as a business.
In Phase two; FTFA was mainly focusing on infrastructers such as irrigation, construction of a nursery, sending ten project members to be trained in seed & plant propagations. The project members also managed to attend a three day medicinal & herb workshop which was facilitated by Khanya Africa Development Services. These workshop empowered and development project members to sustain the Permaculture food garden project. These project members are well equipped with Permaculture skills, informations and knowledge. The Permaculture food production and sales have improved.
Project Membership
The Indali Permaculture project is comprised of twenty-eight project members. The majority of members are elderly but are still active in the development of the Permaculture project. Indali Permaculture project enabled several local schools, educators, community members and government extension officers to attend Permaculture and environmental management workshops. The Indali project manager is a dedicated young man committed to the development and sustainability of the Permaculture project. He has turned the Permaculture project into a hive of activities. Several youths, learners from primary and high Primary schools, and local community members have been visiting the project for training in Permaculture farming technologies. After being trained these community members start their own food gardens and train others at the same time.
4. OBJECTIVES
· To provide training and create income opportunities and a sustainable food supply for disadvantaged community members in the Sedibeng area
· To introduce Permaculture food gardening and training to Indali to increase the productivity of their gardens and meet demands in the area, especially for HIV/AIDS and TB patients.
· To develop and open a training centre to educate the Sebokeng community about sustainable land use management, environmental awareness and food production and processing through the establishment of Permaculture gardens. This will include capacity building activities, skills development and provision of training to empower the many disadvantaged communities in the area.
· To build the capacity of the community to respond optimally to opportunities for employment and wealth creation through food production by providing business specific training around issues pertinent to food production and the marketing of food and food related products
· To train trainers at the Community Centre in order to ensure the long-term sustainable transfer of business skills to the broader community.
4. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES
The Indali Permaculture implementation activities started when FTFA received funding from National Development Agency (NDA) for the project in April 2006. The project was supposed to be completed within 18 months, but due to unforeseen circumstances the funding from NDA was received very late and this affected the project implementation and the completion of the project. Morover the cost of garden tools, equipment, nursery and plant materials were higher than originally budgeted for. FTFA extremely worked hard to meet stipulated objectives and anticipated results from the funder.
4.1. The provision of training and the creation of income opportunities and a sustainable food supply for disadvantaged community members in the Sedibeng area.
FTFA assisted Indali to establish a Permaculture food garden. The project is divided into zones. The zone one is a highly intensive vegetable and herb production. The project members are mainly planting a variety of vegetables such as spinach; beetroot, lettuce, cabbage, green pepper, celery, parsley and onion are grown. There are also some herbs integrated with vegetables such as marjoram, oregano, fennel, dill, lemon grass and chilies. Zone Two and Three are mainly occupied by fruit trees peaches, plums and apricot integrated with variety of vegetables and few herbs. This forms a long term and short term production and contributes towards project sustainability. The vegetables produced are being sold to the local supermarkets and community and the surplus are donated to needy children. The skills and knowledge the project members acquired from training are able to produce enough vegetables, herbs, fruits and milk to sustain the project.
4.2. The introduction of Permaculture food gardening and training to Indali to increase the productivity of their gardens and meet demands in the area, especially for HIV/AIDS and TB patients.
The establishment of Permaculture food garden at Indali has increased the vegetable, herbs, fruits and milk production. The project members are no longer buying vegetables from the local market, instead are selling from their own Permaculture food garden project and surplus of vegetables are taken home to feed their families. It was stated that the balance diet of the project members and their families has improved. The vegetables from the project are addressing the nutritional and health needs of the project members and the local community. It was evident that the local clinic refers some of their HIV and TB infected patients to Indali Permaculture project to learn about health eating and learn about starting their own Permaculture gardens in their homes. The Permaculture workshops conducted contributed to empowering project members in terms of education, life-skills, personal growth and development.
4.3. The development of a training centre to educate the Sebokeng community about sustainable land use management, environmental awareness and food production and processing through the establishment of Permaculture gardens. This includes capacity building activities, skills development and provision of training to empower the many disadvantaged communities in the area.
The training conducted by FTFA at Indali managed to develop and empower project members to implement a productive Permaculture food garden project. The training and workshops conducted are enabling the project members to become trainers themselves.
The skills and knowledge acquired by the project members is enabling them to disseminate this information to youths, school children, crèche children, community members and the agriculture extension officers who visit the project for advice and training. The Indali Permaculture project has proven to be an excellent site for training in sustainable land-use management. Local community members and schools are obtaining support, technical advice, resources and support materials from Indali Permaculture project.
The project leader Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng has be actively involved in work shopping over 450 youths, community members and children in schools and communities Orange Farm and Sebokeng. The project has opened doors for local schools, communities, international communities, government departments to acquire skills and knowledge from the trained project members.
4.4.To build the capacity of the community to respond optimally to opportunities for employment and wealth creation through food production by providing business specific training around issues pertinent to food production and the marketing of food and food related products.
4.5.To train trainers at the Community Centre in order to ensure the long-term sustainable transfer of business skills to the broader community.
FTFA provided project members with a variety of training, to ensure that they would become trainers for their project and local schools and community. The project members attended 30 Permaculture workshops. The Permaculture workshops equipped the project members with technical skills, a holistic sustainable land-use approach and knowledge in organic vegetable, herb and fruit production.
All the skill, information and knowledge acquired has put the project members on an excellent platform to become Permaculture advocators and trainers in their community and the project will become sustainable.
5. PROJECT OUTCOMES
FTFA believes in a culture of development, empowering project members to produce tangible results. The following are the results of the project implementation at Indali based mainly on the last tranche payment from NDA:
5.1 Plant & seed propagation
The nursery constructed at Indali is used to propagate plant and vegetable seedlings for the project and local communities and schools. Permaculture food garden project sustainability relies on the breeding or propagation of plants and seeds. The project members, especially those who attended one-week nursery establishment and management workshop at Random Harvest Nursery, are disseminating nursery skills and knowledge to others and volunteers who are coming for training at Indali Permaculture project. The project members will repair the nursery after the fire burnt some of the shade cloth.
6.2 Upgrading the irrigation system
5.3 Erecting of a shade cloth in zone one
The materials for the covering the intensive vegetable area were purchased. The covering of zone one will assist in terms of vegetable and herbgrowth during winter season. The area is extremely cold during winter time and vegetables struggle to grow.
5.4 Permaculture production sales
The increase of production is attributed to improvements in the fertility of the soil, the soil structure and integrated pest management.The Permaculture project is producing a variety of vegetables that are marketable to the public and local supermarkets. The Permaculture skills and knowledge acquired by the project members enables them to produce more vegetables on the farm. The project managed to generate over R52 000 from project sales in 2009-2010. The project members are very pleased with the progress, achievements and funds generated from the Permaculture project. See seperate attachment of sales records.
5.5 Vegetable donations
The Indali Permaculture project has recruited several school learners, children, youths and community members from the local community to be involved in the Permaculture project. These people have volunteered to work on the project and return was given donations of vegetables. This system works very well since vegetable production increases with the help of volunteers and they received vegetables in return. The vegetables, seedlings and herbs donated worth R6 600 to the volunteers and needy community members.
5.6 Computer course and 3g
The two project members Mr Veli Malindi & Mr Molefe attended a one month basic computer skills training. The course provided an introduction to the computer. The project members gained an overview of the evolution of computers, their benefits and limitations, and gain a broad understanding of how they work.
A practical hands-on course, Introduction to Personal Computers taught them how to start a computer and manage input devices such as a mouse and keyboard. They also gained an understanding of what is needed to process data, how to store data on different devices, how to optimize the monitor and how to use other output devices, such as printers, plotters and sound cards. They also learnt how to work with applications such as Windows XP Accessories, Outlook Express and Internet Explorer, how to access Help and shut down computers. Food & Trees for Africa purchased a “3g” mobile internet connectivity device for the Indali project manager. The project has not internet connectivity at the site and therefore the 3g is enabling the project manager to network, do some researche on the internet and send project reports to sponsors and service providers whenever is requested.
7. PROJECT IMPACT AND CHALLENGES
The Indali Permaculture food garden has had a significant impact within the project members and the local community. The Indali Permaculture food garden project has revived the health and good nutrition of project members and their families. The vegetables from the project reduce their monthly expenditure and the environment has been improved.
The income from Permaculture products supplement the pension grant from the government. The project members are no longer buying vegetables from the local supermarkets who now depend or supported by the project. The project members especially Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng managed to replicate the Permaculture activities in the local schools and communities of Orange Farm and Sebokeng. The project manager Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng is more focused on fundraising, international traveling and school and community outreach programme and no one else is capable to manage the project. In order to become more complete and sustainable Indali has to identify a multi-skilled person who can assist Mr Phahlaneng to manage the day to day running of the Permaculture project when the project manager is not around.
The project members enjoy working in the garden on a daily bases and recognize how their lives have improved since participating in the Permaculture food garden project at Indali.
8. PROJECT EVENTS ORGANIZED
In November 2009, Indali organised a 16 day Activism against women and children abuse event which was attended by 1000 people from local community, schools, CBOs, NGOs and government departments such as Agriculture, Environment & Conservation, Department of Health and Transport. In 2010 Indali organised several events and exchange visits. For example, Berkana Institute in United States of America sent 25 youths and parents; the CBO Hub sent fifty community members and Dinokaneng secondary school sent seventy learners and foureducators to volunteering in a Permaculture food garden project. These activities took place on different dates. Indali project members had an opportunity to disseminate their Permaculture skills, knowledge and information to the students, learners, children and community members. Some of these skills are being ploughed back to their communities and schools.
9. PROJECT ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS
There is a visibility of compost, liquid manure, continuous planting, water conservation and management through mulching, seed and plant propagation on a small scale, seeds harvested and sales activities. The integration of fruit trees, vegetables and herbs provides for both long and short-term production, which will make the Permaculture food garden project sustainable. Some of fruit trees are already producing some fruits, which are being sold to the local community, also for domestic consumption. This is evidence that the project is also ecologically sustainable due to good environmental management practices
12. CONSTRAINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FTFA faced several constraints during implementing the last phase of the project:
· Internal Project Management
The project manager Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng has all the skills, leadership skills, business skills required by the project for it’s sustainably. The impact he created in the community and international community is huge but due to his external commitments, most of the time is not available on site at the project to manage day to day affairs. Although he does delegate responsibilities to other members the tasks are not always done correctly.
Indali should prioritise the task to identify a knowledgeable, multi-skilled young person to work very close to Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng in order to manage the project on the ground.
· Project Budgeting
Most of quotations submitted to FTFA were above the budgeted item line and this made it difficult for FTFA toget the right quotations from delegated project member.
However FTFA has now completed this project and has provided all necessary materials to the project and has not gone over budget.
· Project Timeframe and Delays
Money was not paid to FTFA for project implementation on time and this affected the speed of implementation. On the project’s side, FTFA always got quotations for the required materials very late. This further delayed the completion of the project.
13. CONCLUSION
The project has created an enormous impact among the project members, learners, educators and local community members in the area. There have been visible improvements in the quality of the soil and a spirit of co-operation is prevalent in the way the project members interact with each other. The project members and non project members are now well equipped with tools, knowledge, skills and experience and are able to disseminate knowledge and skills to local community members who are interested in Permaculture farming concept.
As Mr Tshidiso Phahlaneng, the Project Manager himself states, “I was inspired and motivated when I first attended Permaculture Design Course in Free State. The course molded me, to be what I am now. The sponsorship from NDA through FTFA gave me the opportunity to learn about Permaculture ethics, principles and sustainable development. The skills and knowledge acquired enabling me to replicate the Permaculture concepts in disadvantaged schools and communities. I manage to train over 450 youths, sent 2 young farmers to Spain, two to Italy, 15 to Cape Town and 12 to Durban to learn about women in entrepreneurship, organic farming and sustainable development. My leadership, fundraising and networking skills have been improved tremendously. I managed to fundraise for all these trips and over R1million for the Indali Permaculture project. My dreams manage to come true, in terms of personal growth and development. Thanks to NDA and FTFA for providing me the opportunity to make a different in the society.”
Report written by
Joe Matimba and edited by Verena Peters, Patrick Leckie, Shayna Beetge and Jeunesse Park; July 2010
Appendix 1: Project budget
| 76a Indali Agriculture Project | |||
| ITEM | TOTAL | EXP | BAL |
| Human Resourses | | | |
| Project Manager @ R2000 per month | R 12 000.00 | R 12 000.00 | R 0.00 |
| 21 X Project members' stipends @ R100.00 per month | 12,600.00 | 12600.00 | R 0.00 |
| Director of Organisation @ R2000.00 per month | R 12 000.00 | 12000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Bookkeeper @ R500.00 per month | R 3 000.00 | 3000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Training | | | |
| 15 X Project visit/follow-up training @ R1500 per visit | R 22 500.00 | 22500.00 | R 0.00 |
| 15 X Travelling visits @ R3.00 per km for 165km return trip | R 7 425.00 | 7425.00 | R 0.00 |
| Project Development | | | |
| Irrigation Extention | R 15 000.00 | 15000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Nursery | | | |
| Nursery materials for completion (mixed concrete, planks, nails, poles, shade cloth and labour | R 35 000.00 | 35000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Nursery trays, potting bags, topsoil, river sand and seedlings | R 10 000.00 | 10000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Permaculture food Garden | | | |
| Plant materials (vegetables, herbs and nursery starter pack) | R 25 000.00 | 25000.00 | R 0.00 |
| *36 cubic meter compost and mulch | R 8 200.00 | 0.00 | R 8 200.00 |
| Project member development | | | |
| One week computer training course for 2 X project members including transport | R 6 500.00 | 6500.00 | R 0.00 |
| Uniform and logo | R 6 500.00 | 6500.00 | R 0.00 |
| 3g for Internet and connection | R 2 500.00 | 2500.00 | R 0.00 |
| Tractor repair (Re-imbursement) | R 8 000.00 | 8000.00 | R 0.00 |
| Project Launch | | | |
| Catering, certificate, T Shirt and media | R 5 000.00 | 0.00 | R 5 000.00 |
| Project Administration - Monitoring, evaluation and reports | R 47 925.00 | 47925.00 | R 0.00 |
| *Contingency | R 459.10 | 459.10 | R 0.00 |
| TOTAL | R 239 609.10 | R 226 409.10 | R 13 200.00 |
| *NB. The money for compost will be used for extra visits and administration to finalise the project. | |||
| *Contingency is used on extra administration. |
Appendix 2: Thank You letter
Appendix 3: Table of Resources Delivered
| Irrigation materials | Nursery materials | Plant materials |
| | | 3000 beetroot |
| | | 1000 chilies |
| | | 3000 onion |
| | | 2000 cabbage |
| | | 1000 Chinese cabbage |
| | | 4000 spinach |
| | | 1000 green pepper |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
“I am glad that our project was sponsored by NDA through FTFA. The training provided by FTFA managed to provide us with proper Permaculture skills and knowledge. The vegetable production has extremely improved and we are generating more money than before from garden sales. The medicinal and herb workshop also assisted us greatly. The local community members are flocking to Indali project to buy vegetables, herbs and milk. We are very proud of the sponsorship and we are able to showcase our achievements to other community members.”
Commented Puseletso Ntsane.
Contact details 073 596 2886
Mr Duncan Mzimba. Contact details 016 989 7001
“I really appreciate the Permaculture training offered by FTFA. Now I know what Permaculture is all about. The skills and knowledge acquired helps me to implement the Permaculture food garden at Indali. The vegetable production has tremendously increased and we are generating more funds from vegetables, milk and herbs.”
Mr Philip Maduna: Contact details 078 492 8054
