Safeguarding water source areas and rural livelihoods together

The WWF-Nedbank partnership Phase 3 (2019–2024), supported by a R25 million investment from Nedbank, implemented landscape-level conservation and sustainable agriculture projects across South Africa, with a primary focus on the Eastern Cape. Key achievements include the protection of 44 natural springs in the uMzimvubu Catchment, the securing of 15,850 hectares under Conservation Agreements for rangeland management, and the promotion of water-efficient irrigation in the dairy sector. The partnership also advanced agroecology to improve food security for smallholders and collaborated on sustainable finance frameworks, including the launch of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) in South Africa.

• The partnership invested R25 million during Phase 3 to achieve social and environmental outcomes, resulting in the creation of 1,652 jobs, skills development for 1,537 individuals, and the empowerment of 374 youths and 620 women.
• In the uMzimvubu Catchment, the partnership secured 44 natural springs to provide clean water, benefiting 60,000 villagers, with 64% of these residents now living within 1 km of a spring.
• Rangeland management efforts in the Eastern Cape secured 15,850 hectares under Conservation Agreements and supported the proposed declaration of the 49,500-hectare Maloti Thaba Tsa Metsi (MTTM) Protected Environment.
• A water-metering case study on six pasture-based dairy farms demonstrated that measuring irrigation consumption helps farmers identify inefficiencies and reduce water waste, leading four of the six farms to invest in system upgrades.
• Research involving 62 dairy farms between 2013 and 2019 established a business case for sustainable dairy production, showing that regenerative and sustainable management practices do not sacrifice profitability.
• Agroecology initiatives led by the Mahlathini Development Foundation in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape increased household production and income by an average of 68% for participating smallholders.
• The partnership facilitated the launch of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) in South Africa in 2023, collaborating with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the Banking Association of South Africa (BASA).
• The 'Ecochamps' model employs rural youth without tertiary qualifications to provide para-veterinary services, facilitate auctions, and conduct veld monitoring, acting as agents of change in the uMzimvubu catchment.

APA

WWF South Africa (2024). Safeguarding water source areas and rural livelihoods together. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/safeguarding-watersource-areas-and-rural-livelihoods-together_wwf-nedbank-2024.pdf?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_tnwtakjegz

Chicago

WWF South Africa. Safeguarding water source areas and rural livelihoods together. 2024. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/safeguarding-watersource-areas-and-rural-livelihoods-together_wwf-nedbank-2024.pdf?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_tnwtakjegz.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=Safeguarding water source areas and rural livelihoods together |date=2024 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/safeguarding-watersource-areas-and-rural-livelihoods-together_wwf-nedbank-2024.pdf?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_tnwtakjegz |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafrica2024safeguarding, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{Safeguarding water source areas and rural livelihoods together}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2024}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/safeguarding-watersource-areas-and-rural-livelihoods-together_wwf-nedbank-2024.pdf?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_tnwtakjegz}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }