Develop sustainable farming in rural South Africa

“Who controls the seed, controls the food.” Fueled by this motto, Biowatch partners with farmers and communities to support sustainable farming. In rural South Africa, farmers are learning agro-ecological techniques that allow them to build stronger food supplies for their families and become part of a growing network that uses sustainable food production methods.

In May alone, over 80 farmers attended agro-ecology workshops in communities across South Africa. Small-scale farmers are given support and training in how to freely use, exchange and sell their seeds. These workshops are the seeds (no pun intended!) of a growing movement that is building viable alternatives to industrial agriculture.

Your generous support makes it possible for Biowatch to continue to grow its network and to have a real impact on local economies. Building on the low-cost alternatives presented in agro-ecology workshops, Biowatch recently provided specialized training to a group of farmers interested in marketing and selling their sustainably-grown produce in their communities. In this workshop, participants learned about the Participatory Guarantee System which is a community-based organic certification process. They also received training in branding and marketing and harnessed their creative energy to develop logos, like the one below that could be used to brand produce grown using agro-ecology principles.

Please help keep up the momentum created by these fantastic training workshops! Your generous donation will support sustainability, self-sufficiency and healthy communities. Thank you!