By Selloane Ntshonyane
- Rooibos farmers are giving up farming land to help save local plants and animals from dying out.
- Farmers are using fewer chemicals and better farming methods to protect nature while growing crops.
Local rooibos farmers are stepping up to protect animals and plants as South Africa’s natural areas face growing threats.
The Rooibos Council says the country is losing its natural areas faster than before.
“Between 1990 and 2018, the country lost approximately 0.12% of its natural vegetation annually, with the rate doubling to 0.24% per year between 2014 and 2018,” the council said.
Marthane Swart from the Rooibos Council says farmers are working hard to save nature.
Even though rooibos tea is a multi-million industry, many farmers are setting aside land where animals can live undisturbed.
Farmers are also trying new ways to grow their crops. They are switching between different plants in their fields and using fewer chemicals to keep the soil healthy.
“Our farmers are showing that sustainable agriculture and conservation can go hand in hand,” Swart said.
“Many rooibos farmers are implementing measures to restore and protect the unique biodiversity of the Cederberg region. This includes habitat restoration, conservation of indigenous plant species and the protection of endangered wildlife, such as the leopard of the Cape.”
The Cape leopard is struggling to survive as people use more land and water and create more waste than ever before.
Swart says farmers who look after nature are seeing good results for both their crops and the environment.
“The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework challenges all sectors to act, and the rooibos industry is stepping up. Through habitat restoration, sustainable farming and conservation partnerships, our farmers are directly contributing to the framework’s 2030 goals,” said Swart.
Pictured above: The Clanwilliam Cedar (Widdringtonia cederbergensis) is a critically endangered tree species native to the Cederberg region.
Image source: Sustainable Cedar
