Sustainable Harvesting Programme
The South African Government has lent vital support for the conservation and protection of the Cape Floristic Region's unique biodiversity. Cape Action for People and the Environment (C.A.P.E.) is the programme established out of this intervention. It implements the C.A.P.E strategy, which was endorsed by government in 2000.
Out of this the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative forms part of one of the complementary GEF (Global Environmental Initiative) which support CAPE that is aimed at strengthening systemic, institutional and individual capacity building and establishing the know-how needed for conservation in different ecological and socio-economic conditions to sustain positive conservation outcomes.
There are several initiatives complementing C.A.P.E. They are aimed at strengthening systemic, institutional and individual capacity building and establishing the know-how needed for conservation in different ecological and socio-economic conditions to sustain positive conservation outcomes. One of these is the Global Environment Fund-supported Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative (ABI).
The Trust's sustainable harvesting programme identified wild fynbos harvesting as one of the single largest agricultural activities on the Agulhas Plain. By promoting conservation principles through the programme the Trust aims to influence wild fynbos harvesting practices that will, in time, contribute to improving the quality of life for people and the environment on the Agulhas Plain.
Under the direction of Roger Bailey, the Trust’s Conservation Manager, models are being devised for the sustainable harvesting of wild fynbos flowers, using Flower Valley farm as a pilot area for monitoring and research. Working with landowners, private businesses and local communities, the Trust aims to test how biodiversity, if managed and harvested sustainably, will provide better economic benefits in the long run, compared to alternative agricultural land uses.
The programme is based on a three-dimensional approach of balancing conservation, social development and economical empowerment in the wild fynbos sector.
1. Conservation:
The sustainable harvesting toolbox
Code of Practice
The Code of Practice (COP) for sustainable harvesting was developed through a stakeholder consultation process that included input from the Trust, CapeNature, SANParks, botanical experts, landowners and contract pickers. The first COP for sustainably harvested wild fynbos flowers was finalised and piloted in 2005. It covers a range of subjects including social, environmental and ecological criteria. One of the key components was unique fynbos-specific ecological harvesting guidelines. However, it was clear that available information was insufficient and an intensive, long-term research programme would be necessary (see Research Section for details). As a result, the COP will be adapted and developed as research results become available.
Vulnerability Index
As the impact of harvesting on different species will be slightly different, and more than 100 species of fynbos plants are harvested on the Agulhas Plain alone, it was not practical to undertake species-specific research on this number of taxa. Instead, an index of vulnerability was developed for each species based on its biological and geographical attributes. This was done by classifying and scoring species according to various easily observed biological characteristics that are likely to influence the response of fynbos species to harvesting.
Totaling the scores produces an index value: the higher the value the more vulnerable a species is to being over-harvested. Specifically, a high score means that even relatively low levels of harvesting is likely to deplete the resource faster than it can recover, resulting in a high likelihood of local extinction if the plant is harvested. Since over-harvesting leading to local population reductions or extinction is far more serious for rare species or plants with very limited distributions, the index also takes distribution and rarity into account.
Resource base assessment
The objective of the resource base assessment was to develop an economically and logistically feasible methodology for calculating the total population sizes and total number of harvestable stems of commercial fynbos flower products within fynbos ecosystems.
The methodology was developed and tested on Soetanys Farm. It was subsequently used to calculate the harvestable fynbos resource at Hangnes, Flower Valley and Witvoetskloof. The methodology has proven a reliable means of calculating the fynbos resource on these properties. The accuracy of the methodology can be improved by increasing the number of sample sites with a related increase in the cost of the assessment.
Harvesting record database
As a means of recording off-take from the Flower Valley/FYNSA supply network, an online database has been developed. This database records information collected at the FYNSA packing shed on the species and quantities coming into the shed. Zonation maps have been developed for all of the farms in the supply network and a recording system is in place to record the quantity of harvestable material coming off each farm (by zones). This information is then fed into the database and can be compared against the available resource for that farm/zone as calculated through the resource base assessment.
This ‘toolbox’ has been developed and tested with the help of six of FYNSA’s suppliers and is now ready to be used in a wider geographic area as the basis for the sustainable fynbos harvesting programme. 
Not only do foreign consumers perceive fynbos products as novel and exotic, but there are indications of growth in the demand for eco-labelled wild harvested product. Therein lies the key to the success of the Trust’s work. The first direct marketing link was successfully established with the U.K. supermarket chain Marks & Spencer (M&S) in 2005. This M&S partnership resulted in six Fynsa suppliers being accredited by Flower Valley and Cape Nature for complying with the COP in 2005.
Research
Flower Valley is investigating the impact of harvesting on selected fynbos species on the Agulhas Plain. The results of this study will provide indicators for thresholds for sustainable harvesting of fynbos species. These thresholds are crucial as they will enable us to use the natural resource optimally while at the same time ensuring sustainability.
The outcome of our research will be fed into the existing Code of Practice for sustainable harvesting of fynbos species. It will also be used to strengthen existing Provincial conservation regulations for the use of floral resources. In the long term, these regulations will form a foundation for creating a certification system for fynbos flower products as part of developing a niche market for sustainably and ethically harvested fynbos in South Africa.
2. Social development
In 2004, under the auspices of the Agricultural Seta and with the help of a team of experts, the Trust was tasked with developing a learning programme and a handbook on sustainable harvesting of wild fynbos. The result was the registration of a sustainable harvesting module comprising three levels of competency (for pickers, supervisors and contractors).
The course materials were used for the first time in 2005 by the Green Futures College. After receiving feedback from the trainers and participants, the course was fine-tuned. In 2006/07, Boland College offered an introductory course in harvesting techniques to 60 pickers.
The programme is important for building capacity amongst wild fynbos harvesters and ensuring that they are familiar with the principles defined in the Code of Practice. It also promotes a basic level of ethical trading and provides producers with information regarding the national legislative requirements and support for implementation.
3. Economic empowerment
Marketing
The purpose of the programme is to market and brand certified sustainably harvested wild fynbos products locally and abroad. This is done by adding value to the existing marketing strategies of commercial wild fynbos exporters.
Through the support of the programme, a commercial wild fynbos export partner has been able to grow his business over the last five years from a seasonal wild fynbos enterprise to a business that is now able to offer permanent employment to 40 people from local communities, while at the same time supporting approximately 80 people in their independent businesses for 12 months of the year.
Mentorship
The Trust has initiated a mentorship programme that aims to identify new and existing biodiversity-based businesses. These enterprises must be willing to apply ethical standards and be economically viable.