Handbook for Implementing Rooibos

Transcription

handbook for
Implementing
Rooibos
Sustainability
Standards
Written and compiled by: Gerhard Pretorius*, Victor Harley* and Lisa Ryser**
Project manager: Tatjana von Bormann, WWF-SA
Artwork: Victor Harley*
Editing: Marlene Rose
Design: Refresh Creative Media
* Natura Libra Environmental Services CC
** Sandra Kruger & Associates
2011
Acknowledgements
This important work would not have been possible without the vision and support of the
Agricultural Department of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as well as the
expert and considerate guidance provided by the Agricultural Counsellor, Professor Nico Visser.
We would also like to thank Charl du Plessis for helping with the chapter on fire management,
Eddie Hanekom for guidance on the waste management chapter, Heidi-Jayne Hawkins for
valuable inputs to the Environment chapter, Willie Nel and Paul Smit for providing useful
information on various topics, and Johan Brand and Pieter Britz for enlightenment on too
many issues to mention.
Handbook for Implementing Rooibos Sustainability Standards
contents
contents
How to use this book
3.1 Basic Conditions of
Abbreviations
5
Introduction
6
Chapter 1: Standards and
certification
7
1. Why are standards important?
27
Employment Act
3.2Sectoral Determination
28
13: Farm Worker Sector
3.3 Labour Relations Act
29
3.4 Occupational Health and
30
Safety Act
4.Employment contracts and payslips
32
7
4.1Employment contracts
2.International standards
8
4.2Payslips
32
33
2.1 Organic certification
9
4.3Additional requirements
33
9
5.The Commission for Conciliation, 34
2.2 UTZ CERTIFIED
handbook for implementing rooibos sustainability standards
2
4
2.3 Rainforest Alliance
10
2.4 Fairtrade International
11
2.5 British Retail Consortium
12
Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)
2.6HACCP
13
Chapter 4: Economic
empowerment
3.Local standards
14
1. Land reform
35
3.1SAG.A.P
14
2.Broad-Based Black Economic 37
3.21 Right Rooibos
15
Empowerment (B-BBEE)
3.B-BBEE within the South African Chapter 2: Integrated
Management System
17
1. Certification requirements
18
18
Rooibos Council
4.Job creation
policies relating to the various
1. Impact of farming on the environment
43
aspects of the standard or code
1.1 Risk assessment
43
1.2 Environmental Management Plan
46
47
1 1.2 Regulatory framework in terms 19
1 of legal requirements and 1 international agreements
Environmental Management
Plan
1.3 Programmes, plans, maps and
the code or standard
20
20
to ensure continued improvement
1.2.2 Species lists and threatened 49
species
1.3 Mapping and biodiversity
evidence of compliance
1.6 Monitoring and feedback system
19
system
1.5Documentation providing
19
1.2.1 Suggested structure – procedures for complying with
1.4 Maps illustrating aspects of the 41
43
Management commitment and
40
Chapter 5: Environment
1.1
35
50
information on your farm
2.Integrated resource management
53
2.1Authorisations
53
2.1.1Water use
53
2.1.2 Development of new fields
53
21
2.2Water resources
56
1.8 Transparency and accountability
21
56
1.9 Chain of Custody for traceability 22
management of natural resources
(a) Wetlands
57
(b) Buffer zones and rivers
59
(c) Water points for livestock
60
(d) Dams
60
Organisation (ILO)
(e) Conclusion
2.The Department of Labour
25
3.Relevant Acts and regulations
26
1.7 Training and communication
of product
Chapter 3: Labour and
employment legislation
1. The International Labour
24
24
2.2.1Protection and
2.2.2
Water use
(a) Domestic water use
61
61
62
(b) Commercial water use:
62
Irrigation management
3.2.7
Storage
3.2.8 Inventory and application
2.3Soil health
65
65
3.2.9
Storeroom safety
3.2.10Disposal of obsolete
65
2.3.1 Management of disturbed 98
100
records
100
areas
(a) Methods
(b) Prioritisation
67
3.3 Food safety and hygiene
101
2.3.2
Erosion management
68
101
101
products
3.3.1Procedures
(a) Monitoring
68
3.3.2
Harvesting
101
(i) Mapping and planning
68
3.3.3
Transport
102
(ii) Fixed-point 70
3.3.4
Tea court
102
3.3.5
Storage
103
photography
71
(iii) Gully profile
measurement
3.4Wild rooibos
104
104
3.4.1Management of
(b) Erosion control
71
(i) Gabions for gullies
71
(ii) Head-cut pool system
73
4.Management of waste and hazardous wild rooibos
3.4.2Harvesting wild rooibos
105
106
materials
for head-cut erosion
(iii) Hollows, brush packing
74
and brush fences for sheet erosion
4.1 Waste management
106
4.1.1Solid waste
107
4.1.2Liquid waste
108
2.3.3 Road management
75
4.1.3Hazardous waste
110
2.3.4Management of overgrazed 77
4.2Fuel management
112
5.Climate change management
113
5.1Fuel use
114
5.2 Field preparation and soil cover
114
areas
2.3.5 Management of cultivated 77
Rooibos fields
2.4 Corridors and connectivity
80
5.3Irrigation
115
2.5 Invasive alien plants
82
5.4 Fertilisers and crop protection
115
2.6 Wildlife management
84
5.5Harvesting
115
85
5.6Electricity use
116
86
Bibliography
117
Index
121
2.6.1 Management of
damage-causing animals
2.6.2 Invasive animals
2.7 Fire management
87
3.Integrated crop management
88
3.1 Fertilisation
88
3.1.1Fertiliser programme
88
3.1.2Storage
90
3.1.3Organic fertilisers
90
3.1.4Soil sampling
90
3.2Crop protection
93
93
3.2.1Integrated pest
management
3.2.2 Choice and use
95
of pesticides
3.2.3
Application methods
97
3.2.4
Application equipment
97
3.2.5
Worker safety
97
3.2.6 Disposal of surplus
97
contents
mixtures
3
how to use
this book
How to use
this book
This book aims to make it easier to farm Rooibos according to tried and tested better
management practices. It provides practical advice on how to implement management
systems and actions on the farm that comply with recognised sustainability standards.
Although using this handbook will help to prepare for auditing and certification, it has
a far broader application in pursuing better farming practices. It is designed to be used
as a reference work where you can find answers to the full spectrum of social and
environmental questions.
Use the table of contents at the beginning of the book to guide you to specific
4
information in the chapters on standards, integrated management systems, labour and
economic empowerment issues, and environmental management techniques. We have
included detailed instructions on many aspects of compliance and, where appropriate,
provide direct links to a plethora of guidelines, documents and templates that may
smooth the road to certification.
These icons will make it easy to find the information you need:
download This image indicates links to more detailed
information sources and internet sites from which to download
documents and templates. There is a wealth of information
available and not all of it could be included in this handbook, so we
have provided the links to these extended sources via the shortest
and most reliable routes.
tip
In each chapter helpful tips, aimed at making the subject
clearer and your job easier, are provided by industry experts.
contact
It became clear in researching this book that often
just finding the right service provider or government department
is a challenge, so wherever possible, we have provided the
relevant contact information. However, the fact that we mention
specific products or laboratories should not be regarded as a
recommendation.
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Annual Plan of Operations
Association of Veterinary and Crop Associations of South Africa
Basic Assessment
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment
Basic Conditions of Employment Act
Biodiversity Geographical Information System
British Retail Consortium
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act
Critical Biodiversity Area
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration
Critical Control Point
Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
Critical Ecological Support Area
Consumer Price Index
Critically Endangered
Comprehensive Rural Development Programme
Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Department of Environment and Nature Conservation
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
Department of Trade and Industry
Department of Water Affairs
Environmental Assessment Practitioner
Environment Conservation Act
Environmental Impact Assessment
Exempt Micro Enterprises
Environmental Management Plan
Endangered
Ecological Support Areas
European Union
Farm Equity Scheme
Fairtrade Organisation International
Fire Protection Association
Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor
Greater Cederberg Fire Protection Association
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
Health and Safety
Invasive alien plants
International Labour Organisation
Integrated Management System
Integrated Pest Management
International Organisation for Standardisation
Japanese Agricultural Standard of Organic Agricultural Products
Maximum Residue Limits
National Environmental Management Act
National Environmental Management Waste Act
Non-government Organisation
National Organic Program (USA)
Other Ecological Support Area
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Previously disadvantaged individuals
Prior Informed Consent
Persistent Organic Pollutant
Perishable Products Export Control Board
Qualifying Small Enterprises
Rooibos Biodiversity Initiative
Right Rooibos
Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment
South African Bureau of Standards
South African Good Agricultural Practices
Sustainable Agriculture Network
South African Rooibos Council
Social and Environmental Management System
Sector Education and Training Authority
Soil Organic Matter
Unemployment Insurance Fund
United States of America (Environmental Protection Agency)
World Health Organisation
APO AVCASA
BA
B-BBEE
BCEA
BGIS
BRC
CARA
CBA CCMA
CCP
CEESP
CESA
CPI
CR
CRDP
DEA&DP
DENC
DRDLR
DTI
DWA EAP
ECA
EIA
EME
EMP EN
ESA
EU
FES
FLO
FPA
GCBC
GCFPA
HACCP
H&S
IAP
ILO
IMS
IPM
ISO JAS
MRL
NEMA
NEM:WA
NGO
NOP
OESA
OHS Act
PDIs PIC
POP
PPECB QSE
RBI
RR
S&EIA SABS
SAG.A.P
SAN
SARC
SEMS
SETA
SOM
UIF
USA (EPA)
WHO
ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATIONS
5
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
In recent years the Rooibos industry has increasingly been exposed to the worldwide
movement towards ethical and sustainable production practices. The loss of biodiversity in what is internationally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot – the Cape Floral
Kingdom, which includes the Cederberg – and the part Rooibos production plays
in that loss were the catalysts that prompted the industry to launch the Rooibos
Biodiversity Initiative in 2007. This was done in partnership with CapeNature and the
Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor to halt the loss of biodiversity due to Rooibos
production.
The result of the initiative was the publication of the Biodiversity Best Practice Guidelines for Rooibos Production and a compliance checklist based on the guidelines. Thirty
six producers agreed to implement the guidelines on their farms and a communication
6
campaign was launched to create awareness of biodiversity concerns in the industry.
Another aim of the initiative was to investigate potential recognition mechanisms for
compliant producers, which logically led to the investigation of certification. It soon
became apparent that there was a market for certified Rooibos, but while biodiversity
remains a central concern, socio-economic considerations needed to be factored in.
The next phase of the initiative saw a name change to the Right Rooibos initiative, an
investigative study on the socio-economic status of the industry, and the expansion
of “best practices” to a triple bottom line Right Rooibos Standard with environmental,
social, economic and employment criteria. Simultaneously, market demand for certified
Rooibos became a reality with international beverage companies indicating their
desire to procure Utz Certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified™ tea. Collaboration
between Right Rooibos, Utz and Rainforest Alliance is ongoing. It aims to ensure the
alignment of standards, the elimination of duplication and the consideration of the
local context in the development of standards for Rooibos. At the time of writing,
the first audits in both these certification schemes had been conducted and the first
certificates issued.
Certification requires a producer to comply with standards and codes of conduct, and
to keep records that provide evidence of compliance. In most cases this means making
changes on the farm and in the production process, and setting up management and
record-keeping systems. As we all know, this can be a daunting task. We therefore
hope this handbook will provide our Rooibos producers with practical hints and
solutions to help them implement the standards and prepare for certification.
This book has been a labour of love, written for every farmer who works to ensure
the long and prosperous future of Rooibos farming in a sustainable, earth- and
people-friendly manner. It is also a living document, recognising that flourishing farms
result from continuous learning, so we welcome your comments and insights on this
common journey.
Gerhard Pretorius
Victor Harley
Lisa Ryser
Standards ensure that a product lives up to the expectations of the
consumers who purchase it. Standards set certain guidelines for both consumers and producers. They make a promise to consumers that producers
are creating products according to these guidelines to meet the consumers’
expectations about that product. Various standards focus on different aspects,
either of the product itself, or the manner in which it was produced. Some
examples are:
■ product quality
■ sustainability
■ environmentally friendly production processes
■ respectful treatment of workers
■ fair price to producers
■ product safety.
why are standards important?
1. Why are standards
important?
standards &
certification
Standards & certification
chapter 1
1
There are many different standards for almost every product produced around
the world. This can be very confusing for producers, also because different
standards have different requirements, depending on their focus. Once
you have chosen a standard to which you as producer want to comply, it is
necessary to become certified. This means an external auditor will come to
assess whether or not you are producing according to the guidelines laid out
by that particular standard.
This chapter will only look at the standards that currently apply to commercial
and small Rooibos farmers in South Africa. There are basically two types of
standards: international and local.
7
standards &
certification
1
2. International standards
Most international standards are governed by the ISO (International
Organisation for Standardisation). ISO is a network of standard organisations
to ensure that the standards that are set internationally are of a certain level,
to achieve the following:
■ protect consumers who are buying a product that carries a logo
■ ensure that technology and innovation are shared and spread
■ ensure the effectiveness of product development, supply and production
■ facilitate fair trade between countries
■ provide a guideline for governments on international hygiene, safety and
environmental laws.
International standards
information For more information on the ISO, go to www.iso.org/iso/home.html.
Why should a Rooibos business comply with an international standard?
These standards offer a guarantee to consumers that the product is of a high
quality, is safe to consume and can be trusted. By complying with one or more
standards, the business can compete in various niche markets in addition to
its regular market. It is especially useful for producers in developing countries
such as South Africa to be able to establish what qualities international
consumers are looking for in the products they buy. A certified business
will be able to improve various aspects of their day-to-day running, such as
management systems, traceability (see Chapter 2: Integrated Management
System) and the treatment of workers. Lastly, standards attempt to reduce
the impact that the production of a product will have on water, soil and other
natural resources, in order to help protect the environment. All of this adds up
to creating a more sustainable product.
information
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. This can be applied to a business, an industry or ecosystem.
If something is sustainable, it means it can survive and become more productive over time, without
negatively impacting on the well-being of people or the environment.
The following international standards are applicable to the Rooibos industry:
1. Organic certification
2. UTZ CERTIFIED
3. Rainforest Alliance / Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN)
4. Fairtrade International
5. British Retail Consortium
6.HACCP.
This chapter will briefly describe each of these standards and give details as to
where more information can be found on each.
8
The term ‘organic’ is used to describe an agricultural product that is produced
with no synthetic inputs on soil that has been improved. If Rooibos is
organically produced and certified, it means no chemicals were used in the
production or processing of the Rooibos and that an adequate traceability
system has been used to ensure no cross-contamination. This guarantees that
the product will have no long-term negative effect on people’s health or the
environment, and that a sustainable product has been produced.
Although the details of these certification schemes fall outside the scope of
this chapter, there are several organic certifiers in South Africa. One of them is
Ecocert.
contact
For more details about organic certification, contact Ecocert Southern Africa:
Tel: 021 461 1558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ecocert.com
1
Organics is not only a difficult concept to understand, but also a complicated
standard because there is no single internationally recognised standard for
organic products. In South Africa, the government has not yet accepted the
National Department of Agriculture’s Draft Organic Standards document
which was published in 2001. As a result, producers are currently following
various other organic standards usually set by the country to which they are
exporting. These include NOP, the standards set by the National Organic
Program of the US Department of Agriculture, and JAS, the Japanese
Agricultural Standard of Organic Agricultural Products set by the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.
standards &
certification
2.1 Organic certification
2.2 UTZ CERTIFIED
UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside is a not-for-profit
organisation that was launched in 2002 to certify
sustainable coffee production. These days the
company runs a multicommodity programme that
includes Rooibos.
UTZ CERTIFIED aims to create an open and transparent market for agricultural
products. The company’s vision is to achieve sustainable agricultural supply
chains that meet the growing needs and expectations of farmers, the food
industry and consumers. Its strengths are a comprehensive Code of Conduct,
transparency and an online traceability system that offers real-time tracing of
products back to source.
The UTZ Code of Conduct is designed for mainstream certification and covers
good agricultural practices, management systems and traceability, food safety,
quality improvement, worker’s rights, health and safety, biodiversity and the
environment. The Code of Conduct is applicable to commercial farmers, small
farmers and processors. Packers and exporters need to comply with the Chain
9
standards &
certification
1
of Custody, which ensures traceability from source to final consumer and
compliance with UTZ CERTIFIED’s basic principles by all parties in the chain.
The focus of the Code of Conduct is the training of farmers and their workers.
Farmers are trained on how to become professional business people to
increase their productivity and yield, lead to higher efficiency and quality, and
ultimately lower the cost of production so as to increase their profit. Workers
are trained on basic hygiene, health and safety, and their labour rights.
To become UTZ CERTIFIED, you need to comply with all the applicable points
in the Code of Conduct and then be audited by an external certification body.
There are numerous certification bodies both in and outside South Africa that
can assist with this. Usually the certifying organisation will give you a list of
certification bodies that are able to audit their standard. You will need to be
audited every year and will receive a new certificate each year.
information
UTZ Premium
UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside requires a premium to be paid to the producer on top of the price
for the certified Rooibos. This premium should be negotiated between the producer and the first
buyer. It should be used by the producer in a transparent manner.
contact
UTZ CERTIFIED has their head office in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
For more information, contact:
Tel: +31 20 530 8000
Website: www.utzcertified.org
2.3 Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity
and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming
land-use practices, business practices and consumer
behaviour. They have been operating since 1987 as part
of a group of organisations known as the Sustainable
Agricultural Network (SAN), which aims to improve environmental and social
conditions through certification.
The Rainforest Alliance has global programmes focusing on sustainable
forestry, agriculture, tourism and conservation. The SAN has developed
standards for sustainable farming that are based around three pillars of
sustainable agriculture: environmental protection, human welfare and
economic viability. Many sustainability programmes use similar guiding
principles, but to become Rainforest Alliance Certified™, farms must meet
stringent environmental and social criteria based on these 10 specific
principles:
■ Social and environmental management system
■ Ecosystem conservation
■ Wildlife protection
■ Water resource conservation
10
■
■
■
■
■
■
Fair treatment and good conditions for workers
Occupational health and safety
Good community relations
Integrated crop management
Soil management and conservation
Complete, integrated waste management
Both commercial and small producers are eligible for Rainforest Alliance
certification. Although the programme focuses on major tropical export crops,
Rooibos was recently added to the list of crops that can be certified. Farms
will be inspected on a yearly basis by accredited auditors and may also be
visited unannounced by a SAN representative.
contact
Rainforest Alliance is based in New York and can be contacted on:
Tel: +1 212 677 1900
Website: www.rainforest-alliance.org
2.4 Fairtrade International
1
Only farms can be Rainforest Alliance Certified™, in other words companies
and products cannot. Other businesses in the value chain therefore need to
go through a Chain of Custody audit to ensure traceability of the certified
crop from the farm to the point where it is packaged and sealed. Although
certification does not guarantee a minimum price for the certified product,
it helps farmers to profit through increased productivity and better farming
practices.
standards &
certification
Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade
and is based on a partnership between producers and
consumers. By setting a minimum price and premium,
Fairtrade offers a better deal and improved terms of trade.
When a product carries the Fairtrade mark, it means the
producers and traders in the value chain have met all the criteria as laid out in
the Fairtrade standards.
The standards are set by the Fairtrade Organisation International (FLO) and
are divided into four distinct sections:
■ Social development
■ Socio-economic development
■ Environmental development
■ Labour conditions
There are four different kinds of Fairtrade standards:
1. Standards for Small Producer Organisations that focus on disadvantaged
smallholders who need to be organised in a formal way to be able to
apply for certification.
2. Standards for Hired Labour Organisations that apply to businesses
with employees, i.e. farm workers. The standards focus on their wages,
living conditions, health and safety and respectful treatment by the
employer.
11
standards &
certification
1
Above Local and international standards evaluate the health and safety of workers.
3. Standards for Trade Organisations that apply to processors, packers and
exporters and focus on the terms of trade between them and the
Fairtrade producer, as well as the separate steps enabling the traceability
of the product.
4.
Product standards for all the different products that can be Fairtrade
certified, of which Rooibos is just one.
contact
It is necessary for the organisation to comply with one of the standards above
as well as their applicable product standard.
Fairtrade International
has its head office in
Bonn, Germany. For more
information, contact:
Tel: +49 228 949 230
Website: www.fairtrade.net
The Fairtrade minimum price is set to cover an average farm’s production
costs while allowing them to make a profit. The Premium is an amount set
by Fairtrade International that should be paid over and above the minimum
price. The Fairtrade Premium needs to be used for social development of the
farm workers, the communities and/or the members of the small farmers’
organisation.
FLO-CERT (South Africa)
can be contacted on:
Tel: 021 671 0289
Website: www.flo-cert.net
The preferred certification body to conduct Fairtrade audits is FLO-CERT
GmbH. This is a completely separate organisation to the FLO. They will do
yearly inspections of the organisation against the applicable standard and
issue a certificate that is valid for three years.
2.5 British Retail Consortium
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is based in the United
Kingdom and is essentially a trade association with numerous
retailer members across the UK. The BRC has developed a set
of Global Standards in response to the needs of its members
who were looking for safe food and consumer products.
The BRC Global Standards are a group of four technical standards covering
the following:
■ Food safety
■ Consumer products
■ Packaging and packaging materials
■ Storage and distribution
12
standards &
certification
Certification is achieved through a third-party independent auditor and
basically assures the retailer that suppliers are providing a safe product.
This reduces the need for retailers to carry out their own audits. To gain
certification, you need to follow these steps:
1.Order a copy of the standard and conduct a self-assessment to measure
your compliance.
2. Select a certification body, such as NSF-CMi Africa, and arrange to have
an audit.
3. After the audit, assess any non-compliance so that a certification decision
can be taken.
4. When you receive your certificate, give authorisation that a copy of the report may be issued to prospective customers, who are usually members of BRC.
contact For more information, contact the British Retail Consortium
customer services department on:
Tel: +44 20 7854 8939
Website: www.brcglobalstandards.com
NSF-CMi Africa in Stellenbosch is one of the local BRC certification bodies.
Contact them on:
Tel: 021 880 2024
Website: www.nsf-cmi.com
2.6 HACCP
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point and is a preventative
approach to food safety. In other words, it aims to first identify the physical,
chemical and biological hazards that may be present in food preparation and
then attempts to reduce or eliminate them before they cause harm during
consumption. HACCP is used in all stages of food preparation and becomes
relevant in the Rooibos industry during the processing of the tea until final
packaging for consumers.
HACCP is very important, because it can control all aspects of food safety,
which should be a concern of all organisations in the Rooibos value chain,
from producers to processors and packers. It ultimately will ensure a safe
consumer product, which in turn protects the entire Rooibos industry.
HACCP follows the following seven principles:
Principle 1: Conduct a hazard analysis
Principle 2: Determine the critical control points (CCPs)
Principle 3: Establish critical limits
Principle 4: Establish monitoring procedures
Principle 5: Establish corrective actions
Principle 6: Establish verification procedures
Principle 7: Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures
1
contact
In South Africa there are a
number of companies that
can conduct HACCP audits.
For more information, you
can contact:
SABS – South African
Bureau of Standards
Tel: 021 681 6700
Website: www.sabs.co.za
SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 680 3466
Website: www.za.sgs.com
13
standards &
certification
1
3. Local standards
Local standards can be set for an industry either by the industry body or by
the government. In the case of Rooibos, the following standards are applicable
in the local context:
■ SAG.A.P
■ Right Rooibos
local standards
information
Who is the industry body for Rooibos?
The industry body for Rooibos is the South African Rooibos Council (SARC), which was formed in
2005. The board of directors comprises various representatives elected from the industry, namely
commercial producers, small farmers, processors, manufacturers, local marketers and exporters.
The SARC’s members are also drawn from these groups. Membership is restricted to South African
entities that are directly involved in the Rooibos value chain.
The main goals of the SARC are as follows:
■ To further the interests of the South African Rooibos industry, both locally and internationally
■ To act as a representative and co-operative platform for its members
■ To co-ordinate and invest in generic marketing, research and development
■ To formulate and implement strategies for sustainable management of natural resources
and industry transformation
■ To support its members and improve communication and co-operation in the industry.
contact
For more information, contact the South African Rooibos Council on:
Tel: 021 552 8845
Website: www.sarooibos.co.za
3.1 SAG.A.P
SAG.A.P stands for South African Good Agricultural Practices and applies to
all agricultural products that leave the country. The SAG.A.P code for Rooibos
was developed by the Department of Agriculture in co-operation with the
Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) and Rooibos Ltd. SAG.A.P
is a mandatory certification for all Rooibos producers who wish to export
their product. This is applicable to commercial farmers, small farmers and
processors. The primary production and on-farm standard has 11 sections,
which cover the following topics:
■ Traceability
■ Site history and management
■ Propagation material
■ Soil/substrate management
■ Fertiliser use
■ Irrigation
■ Crop protection
14
■
■
Harvesting
Post-harvest produce handling
Facility: maintenance, cleaning and pest control
Managing product withdrawals
standards &
certification
■
■
The PPECB was appointed by the Department of Agriculture to act as the
certification body that audits farms against the SAG.A.P standard. Audits
should take place on a yearly basis.
contact For more information on SAG.A.P certification, contact the
PPECB on:
Tel: 021 930 1134
Website: www.ppecb.com
Right Rooibos (RR) was previously known as the Rooibos
Biodiversity Initiative (RBI), which began as a collaborative
project in 2007 between CapeNature, the SARC and the
Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) to protect the environment
on Rooibos farms.
What is the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity
Corridor (GCBC)?
contact
For more information,
contact the GCBC on:
Tel: 022 931 2900
Website: www.
cederbergcorridor.org.za
local standards
3.2 Right Rooibos
1
information
The GCBC is a landscape-scale initiative to establish and protect natural corridors from the West
Coast across the Sandveld and the Cederberg to the Tankwa Karoo in the east, and from the
Bokkeveld Plateau in the north to the Groot Winterhoek Mountains in the south. It aims to achieve
this by signing stewardship agreements between landowners and the provincial conservation
authorities.
However, market research has shown that businesses and consumers require
producers to care for people as well as the environment. As a result, the RBI
evolved into Right Rooibos with its broader focus on sustainability.
To ensure the sustainability of Rooibos, Right Rooibos has adopted the
following strategy:
■ developing sustainability guidelines that consider the context of Rooibos
as a product originating from a specific, environmentally important
part of the world in alignment with national and regional environmental
conservation initiatives
■ establishing the Right Rooibos Sustainability Standard as the baseline
to inform other standards for Rooibos certification and, in so doing, align
different systems, avoid duplication and allow for benchmarking between
standards
■ implementing these guidelines on a number of pilot farms
15
standards &
certification
1
local standards
broadly encouraging and supporting the roll-out of sustainable practices
on all Rooibos farms
■ researching training management to understand the requirements of
sustainable Rooibos production
■ delivering technical advice to Rooibos producers
■ developing guidelines and training materials like this book
■ developing an Environmental Management Plan for each producer that
becomes involved with Right Rooibos
■ developing a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the
programme’s integrity and credibility to measure success and build the
case for sustainable practices
■ building and protecting the Rooibos industry’s reputation
■ working to encourage buyers in the supply chain to purchase sustainable
Rooibos.
■
information To become involved with Right Rooibos or for more information, go to:
www.sarooibos.co.za/right-rooibos.
contact You can also contact the SARC on:
Tel: 021 552 8845
or Gerhard Pretorius:
Tel: 022 482 1500
Cell: 082 450 2571
16
2
integrated
management
system
Integrated management system
chapter 2
Sustainability can only be achieved if the environmental, social and
economic aspects of production are linked in an integrated system of
implementation, i.e. an Integrated Management System (IMS).
A system by its nature is something that organises various interacting,
interrelated or interdependent elements into a complex whole.
note An Integrated Management System (IMS) must be a two-way street: the documentation
must reflect what is happening on the farm, and what happens on the farm must be reflected in
the documentation.
If you are aiming for certification, it is essential to have an Integrated
Management System in place that assembles all the elements of the
prescribed sustainability code or standard for that particular certification. On
the other hand, certification as such becomes one of the integral elements of
the total production and business system.
17
integrated
management
system
2
Make sure that your management system contains all the aspects of the
certification scheme you are aiming for. For Right Rooibos, you need to
include at least these sections:
■ employment
■ social aspects
■ economic aspects
■ environmental aspects
■ food safety
download If you want Rainforest Alliance certification, for example, you can
download their set of detailed Social and Environmental Management System (SEMS)
implementation guidelines from the documents library under the Right Rooibos tab at
www.sarooibos.co.za.
certification requiremements
1. Certification requirements
Typical components of an Integrated Management System aimed at
certification are as follows:
1.1 Management commitment and
policies relating to the various
aspects of the standard or code
To obtain certification, policy statements about social and environmental
management approaches must be in place. Develop written policies for
environmental, social and employment aspects. These must be signed by
management and communicated to employees. Without management’s buyin, certification will fail or be on very unsure footing.
Examples:
Environmental Policy
ABC Farming’s policy is to operate
strictly within the confines of
environmental legislation and to
promote the conservation efforts of the
government, NGOs and the SA Rooibos
Council in the region. We aim in our
production practices to conserve
biodiversity on the farm and beyond
our fences, to protect our soil and water,
and to limit negative impacts due to
waste and agrochemicals.
18
Employment Policy
XYZ Farming’s employment policy is to
comply with all SA labour legislation
and international agreements like those
of the International Labour Organisation.
We do not use child labour and as far as
possible hire only local people. When
filling positions, we do not discriminate
against anyone based on race, gender,
religion or sexual preference. We ensure
that all our staff have access to health
and education services.
At the administration office, keep copies of applicable national and provincial
legislation, applicable international conventions and agreements, as well as
standards, policies, criteria and rules of the certification systems in which the
farm participates. These documents must be available to all farm employees
and stakeholders. Employees must also receive basic training on the purpose
and general aspects of certification schemes and their standards.
1.3 Programmes, plans, maps and
procedures for complying with
the code or standard
The only way for an auditor to assess whether social and environmental
issues on a farm have been identified and are being assessed and addressed
is through detailed descriptions of the issues and how they are being or
going to be addressed. To identify the issues that you need to address, do a
personal inspection using the certification checklist. Measure your compliance
by comparing what you have in place to the criteria in the checklist and
list the issues that need attention. Then you need to compile management
plans that describe the problems and the actions you plan to take to address
these issues. You also need to indicate the period during which you will do
it, what it will cost and who will be responsible for the work. See Chapter
5: Environment, 1.2 Environmental Management Plan and adapt it for
employment, social aspects, economic aspects, environmental aspects, food
safety, etc.
download
For a complete Guide
to Environmental
Legislation that
identifies farm activities
regulated by legislation,
the relevant Acts and
regulations and whom
to contact, go to the
documents library under
the Right Rooibos tab at
certification requiremements
Legislation that must be on hand includes:
■ Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
■ Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 and regulations
■ National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 and regulations
■ Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock
Remedies Act 36 of 1947
■ National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998
■ National Water Act 36 of 1998, regulations and general authorisations
■ Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
■ Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997
■ Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (Ordinance 19 of
1974)
2
integrated
management
system
1.2 Regulatory framework in terms
of legal requirements and
international agreements
1.4 Maps illustrating aspects of
the system
Create maps that show production areas and illustrate all the environmental
and production aspects. Large wall maps provide a quick overview, but should
be supplemented by detailed maps in the management plans. See Chapter 5:
Environment, 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm.
19
integrated
management
system
2
1.5 Documentation providing evidence of compliance
You need to keep a record of the actions you take to comply with a standard
or code of conduct, and of expenditure, labour aspects and measurements.
■ Before-and-after photographs are a good way to record physical actions
that were taken, for example work to combat erosion or clear alien plants.
■ Spreadsheets or tables are useful to record pesticide or fertiliser
applications and water extraction, among other things.
■ Keep minutes and attendance registers of meetings such as health and
safety meetings. Also keep attendance registers of training sessions on file.
■ File invoices of expenditure relating to compliance actions.
■ Even print out and file correspondence that provides evidence that you
are striving for compliance.
certification requirements
1.6 Monitoring and feedback system
to ensure continued improvement
Sustainable production is not a static
end-state that can be achieved
and then forgotten. It is an ongoing
process requiring continuous
improvement. For certification, you
must be able to demonstrate that you
have identified aspects that require
improvement, made and implemented
plans to effect those improvements,
and monitored progress. This can be
seen as a cyclical process.
Above Diagram of the continuous
improvement cycle.
Thus the management plans and
annual plans scheduling project
work provide the platform from
which to monitor progress, keep
records and control implementation
in an ongoing cycle that will ensure
continuous improvement over time.
1. Identify and assess: By doing a personal assessment using the
certification checklist, you can identify aspects of production and the
farm that do not comply with the standard, as well as the scope of the work or resources needed to address these aspects.
2.Plan: Define projects or objectives and describe planned actions in a
management plan, as explained earlier.
3.Implement the plans by executing the actions in them.
4.Monitor progress and control projects by regularly reviewing projects
and plans and the progress made with execution. In each management
plan, describe how and when reviews will take place. During each review,
list the findings in a Review and follow-up table, describe corrective actions and delegate the responsibility for these actions to a person to
ensure continuous improvement.
20
download A template of the Review and follow-up table can be found in the
library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
Example:
integrated
management
system
2
Health and safety
In a health and safety management plan you can state that the plan will be reviewed quarterly at
a health and safety committee meeting. Progress on each project is then assessed and corrections
are made. For example, if there was a project that required two employees to receive training in
pesticide application, you can determine at the meeting whether this had been done or not. If so, file
the signed attendance register, invoices from service providers, certificates, etc. behind the project
summary page in the management plan. If not, reschedule the training and make sure it gets done.
tip
Do not trust your memory! Use a diary, calendar or list of tasks that you
review daily to help you get organised and get things done.
1.7 Training and communication
A management system can only work properly if the people involved in
its functioning understand the basics of how it works. A summary of the
Integrated Management System must be made available to employees on
medium to large farms. Provide training to employees on the certification in
which the farm is participating, its importance and the programmes that are in
place to achieve and maintain certification.
1.8 Transparency and accountability
You must keep a record of all quantities of dry Rooibos produced, and all
quantities of certified and non-certified Rooibos bought and sold. Record any
premium paid on certified Rooibos, as well as how the premium is distributed
in the farming enterprise.
You must also have a written complaints procedure in place to manage
complaints regarding your certification. This procedure must be readily
available to employees, other producers, buyers, consumers or government
agencies. Designate a person who will receive and handle complaints. The
procedure must also describe the flow of events and timelines for processing
the complaint and providing feedback to the complainant.
download
An example of a
complaints procedure
can be found in the
library under the Right
Rooibos tab at www.
sarooibos.co.za.
21
integrated
management
system
2
Above A field identification sign.
Below An example of a map of Rooibos fields.
1.9 Chain of Custody for traceability of product
The purpose of traceability is to ensure that certified tea can be identified
at all stages, and that the cause of a problem in case of a complaint can be
pinpointed. Appoint a person to control Rooibos traceability. Every Rooibos
field must be mapped and marked physically with signs showing its name
or number. You should be able to point out a field on a map where a specific
batch of certified Rooibos was produced, and signage should be used to
clearly mark the field on the farm.
It is essential to identify the production path of certified Rooibos at all times.
There must be a system to ensure that certified Rooibos can be traced all the
way back to the field on which it was produced.
22
integrated
management
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2
Above A board on a tea court.
Below A labelled Rooibos bag.
Certified Rooibos should not be
mixed with non-certified Rooibos
during harvesting, handling, transport,
processing or packaging. At a tea court
where more than one farm’s tea is
processed, certified and non-certified
tea must be physically kept apart.
Otherwise the schedule must ensure
that certified and non-certified tea is
processed at different times.
You must record all transactions
involving certified Rooibos and the
quantities of certified and non-certified
Rooibos. The product flow of Rooibos
must be documented from each
production unit (such as a field or a
member of a producer group) to the
collection point and during handling and transport, for as long as the producer
or business is the owner of the tea.
On the farm, all dried and bagged Rooibos must be identified with a label
showing the certification scheme, the name, address and contact details of the
farm, the field it came from and the date bagged.
When the Rooibos is delivered to the next buyer, it is weighed and a
consignment letter or receipt is produced containing the same information
as on the label, plus the weight. Once the buyer issues a consignment letter/
receipt, the producer is no longer responsible for the Rooibos.
It is important to keep a labelled sample of each batch/consignment for one
year to serve as evidence in case of a complaint.
information
Tracing methods
Note that some
certification schemes
have their own specific
methods and procedures
for tracing products
throughout the supply
chain, such as online
announcements of sales
with unique numbers,
etc. You need to check
this with the relevant
scheme.
23
labour and
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3
Labour and
employment legislation
Chapter 3
International labour organisation (ILO)
When it comes to labour and employment legislation, it is important to
always follow the laws of the country in which your business is operating.
When sustainability standards set compliance criteria for labour and
employment specifically, they usually use the International Labour
Organisation’s conventions and recommendations.
1. International Labour Organisation (ILO)
The ILO is an agency of the United Nations that is
responsible for international labour standards. The ILO
seeks to promote decent work opportunities for men
and women. Decent work not only means employment
security, but also to be able to work in a productive, safe,
equal and dignified working environment.
24
The ILO acts on the premise that work is central to people’s well-being.
It not only provides an income to individuals, but also contributes to the
greater social and economic development of families and communities. The
organisation believes that work is the main mechanism to bring people out of
poverty.
The ILO has certain conventions that are considered to be fundamental
with regard to people’s rights at work. These conventions are followed by all
sustainability standards such as Fairtrade, UTZ Certified, Rainforest Alliance
Certified™ and Right Rooibos. They also form the basis of South Africa’s labour
laws. In 1998, the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work was adopted by all three stakeholders in South Africa – the government,
employers and workers – as a commitment to uphold basic human rights. The
Declaration covers four fundamental principles:
1. Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to
collective bargaining.
2. Elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour.
3. Effective abolition of child labour.
4. Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
contact
To find out more about
the ILO, visit their
website at www.ilo.org.
the department of labour
When creating policies and programmes related to international labour
rights, the ILO consults international experts and works with three different
stakeholders, namely governments, employers and workers. This ensures
that all stakeholders have a say in labour standards and that their views and
opinions are taken into account when policy is written. These policies either
become conventions, which are legally binding, or recommendations, which
are not legally binding and serve as guidelines only.
3
labour and
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The main aims of the ILO are:
■ to promote the rights of individuals in the workplace
■ to encourage decent working opportunities for all
■ to enhance social protection
■ to increase communication on work-related issues
2. The Department of Labour
The main role of the South African Department of Labour is to publish
legislation that regulates everything to do with labour in the country. It aims to
reduce unemployment, poverty and inequality through various activities, and
to develop policies and programmes in collaboration with social partners.
The Department of Labour’s website has useful links to various documents
and information relevant to employers, such as:
■ all relevant legislation
■ updated minimum wages per sector
■ basic guides to various employment issues, such as leave, duties
of employers, employment contracts, bargaining councils and claiming
compensation for occupational injuries
■ research reports on employment in various sectors
■ forms and sample documents, such as health and safety requirement checklists, payslips and employment contracts
contact
Visit the Department
of Labour’s website at
www.labour.gov.za to
find the provincial labour
office closest to you.
25
labour and
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3
■ “how to” guides, such as how to pay UIF, how to register with the
Workmen’s Compensation fund and how to set up Learnerships.
3. Relevant Acts and regulations
As employers, it is important to be aware of the following Acts and regulations
that play an important part in regulating various employment aspects of your
business.
relevant acts and regulations
Act
Purpose
Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of
1997
Regulates working hours, leave, termination of employment
and all other matters related to employment.
Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker
Sector
Specifically regulates minimum wages, working hours and
general conditions of employment for farm workers.
Compensation for Occupational Injury and
Diseases Act 130 of 1993
Provides compensation for injuries, diseases and death
that occurred during an employee’s normal course of
employment.
Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998
Provides a framework for employers to implement
affirmative action and protect workers and job seekers from
unfair discrimination.
Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995
Aims to promote peace and democracy in the workplace, as
well as economic development and social justice.
Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of
1993
Aims to provide healthy and safe working conditions for all
employees.
Skills Development Act 97 of 1998
Aims to increase the skills of the South African workforce
and, in doing so, improve their prospects for work and thus
their quality of life.
Skills Development Levies Act, 1999
Regulates the skills development levies that employers
must pay towards the National Skills Fund.
Unemployment Insurance Act, 2001
Aims to protect workers who find themselves unemployed
and lays out the benefits available to them in such an event.
Unemployment Insurance Contributions
Act 4 of 2002
Provides for matters connected to the collection and
obligations of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
tip It is important when downloading any of these Acts to always check
whether there is an amended version. Although the original Act contains all the
necessary information, the amended version indicates which changes were made
to the Act since it commenced.
The Employment Equity Act and the Skills Development Act are important
with regard to employment equity, which will be discussed in Chapter 4:
Economic empowerment. International Sustainability Standards that develop
a local guidance or code of conduct for the South African context will often
take these Acts into consideration when doing so.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Occupational Health and
Safety Act and the Labour Relations Act are important with regard to labour
26
3.1 Basic Conditions of Employment Act
All employers must display a condensed copy of the Basic Conditions of
Employment Act at the workplace.
download
To download the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) or the Basic
Conditions of Employment Amendment Act, 2002, go to the Department of
Labour’s website: www.labour.gov.za, or use the following link:
www.labour.gov.za/legislation/acts/basic-conditions-of-employment/basicconditions-of-employment-act-and-amendments.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) applies to all employers
and workers in South Africa, albeit with a few exceptions, such as senior
management and workers earning more than R115 572 per year. As the
title implies, the BCEA was established to regulate the basic conditions of
employment in the country. South Africa is a member state of the International
Labour Organisation and therefore all the requirements set out in the Act
either comply with ILO regulations or set a higher requirement. The BCEA
regulates everything to do with working conditions, including:
■ working hours
■leave
■ employment contracts
■payslips
■ termination of employment.
3
labour and
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conditions in the workplace. International sustainability standards also
take these Acts into consideration when developing chapters on working
conditions, although most of them already follow the ILO guidelines. It is
important to understand that, even though all the ILO conventions and
South African law play a role in setting the standards, the law which sets a
higher requirement is the one that must be followed. For example, if the ILO
conventions state that children can do light work between the ages of 12 and
14 and the South African law says children under the age of 15 may not be
employed, the South African law must be respected.
tip
Laminated copies of the Acts can be obtained from private companies,
e.g. Juta: www. juta.co.za or Waltons: www.waltons.co.za.
The cost of an A0 (poster size) laminated Act is about R150.
Do you think the standards set by the BCEA are too high? Why do labour
standards require such a significant investment by your business that could
hamper your economic development? The answer is: your business can only
benefit from complying with South African labour standards. Although you
will have a higher wage bill and shorter working hours, this can lead to a more
satisfied workforce, a lower staff turnover and increased productivity in the
long run.
Similarly, freedom of association and collective bargaining can lead to better
employee-employer relations. Better employee-employer relations can reduce
27
labour and
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3
Above A condensed version of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act clearly displayed at the workplace.
the number of work-related conflicts and enhance the social sustainability of
the business.
3.2 Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker Sector
The Sectoral Determination for Farm Workers should be used in conjunction
with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. It sets out specific regulations
that need to be followed with regard to farm workers, which are not covered
by the BCEA. The Sectoral Determination makes reference to the following
with regard to farm workers:
■ Minimum wage – it is important to remember that the minimum
wage changes on 1 March every year, so this amendment to the Sectoral
Determination should be checked and downloaded annually. The
minimum wages for farm workers at this stage are as follows:
1 March 2011 to 29 February 2012
Hourly
R7,04
Weekly
R317,51
Monthly
R1 375,94
1 March 2012 to 28 February 2013
Previous year’s wage + CPI* + 1%
*The CPI (Consumer Price Index) that is utilised to determine minimum wage increases is 3,5%.
The Sectoral Determination stipulates that the wage increase will be determined by using the CPI + 1%
from March 2011. This means the new wage would be 4,5% higher than the previous year.
■ Working hours – 45 ordinary hours a week and not more than nine hours
a day for more than five days a week.
■ Overtime – not more than 15 hours of overtime a week and a worker may
not work for more than 12 hours a day, including overtime. Overtime must
be paid at 1,5 times the employee’s normal wage. If overtime is worked on
a Sunday or a Public Holiday, the rate of pay is usually twice the
employee’s normal wage, but this should be confirmed by checking the
Sectoral Determination.
28
Deductions – an employer may not deduct money for training, tools
and equipment, work clothing or fines. Deductions may only be made if
the worker has agreed in writing or it is made in terms of the law, a court
order or a collective agreement.
■ Meal breaks – must be given after five hours’ work and must be one hour
in duration.
■ Leave – 21 consecutive leave days must be given to permanent workers,
or this can be calculated for seasonal workers at one day for every 17
days worked or one hour for every 17 hours worked.
■ Termination of employment – notice must be given in writing and one
week in advance if the worker has worked for six months or less, and four
weeks in advance if the worker has worked for more than six months.
3
■
labour and
employment
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download
To download Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker Sector, go to the
Department of Labour’s website at www.labour.gov.za, or use the following link:
www.labour.gov.za/legislation/sectoral-determinations/sectoral-determination-13farm-worker-sector.
3.3 Labour Relations Act
The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 mostly regulates trade unions and
collective bargaining in the workplace. It also provides for the resolution of
labour disputes. As an employer, you are required to have the following:
■ A written disciplinary procedure, which sets out the code of conduct for
employees, as well as the actions that will be taken against them in the
event that they do not follow this code.
■ A written grievance procedure, which sets out the steps that should be
followed by an employee in the event that they want to lay a grievance
against a fellow employee or a manager.
These procedures will ensure that both you as an employer and your
employees are protected in case of a labour dispute.
download
To download the Labour
Relations Act or the
Amended Act, visit the
Department of Labour’s
website at
www.labour.gov.za, or
use the following link:
www.labour.gov.
za/legislation/acts/
labour-relations/labourrelations-act.
Please note that the points above are guidelines only. For example, if you
want to average working hours over the year, work a compressed work week
or change the meal breaks, it is essential to consult both the BCEA and the
Sectoral Determination. Alternatively, you can make use of a labour consultant
if you are unsure. A full copy of the BCEA and the Sectoral Determination
must be available at the workplace.
tip
Search online for examples of these types of procedures. The South African
Labour Guide is a great website that can help with all types of labour questions you
may have. They also offer information sessions and training and you can subscribe to
their newsletter to receive updates and news on labour-related issues.
Visit their website or contact them directly for assistance:
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website: www.labourguide.co.za
29
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3
3.4 Occupational Health and
Safety Act
The Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (OHS Act) aims to ensure
healthy and safe working conditions for all employees. The Act clearly lays out
the duties of employers and employees with regard to health and safety (H&S)
in the workplace.
In terms of H&S, workers must:
■ report any H&S incidents to their employer or H&S representative,
such as:
people that are injured or have become ill
any chemicals that were spilled
any machinery that failed or ran out of control
■ take reasonable care of their own H&S and those working around them.
■
■
■
Similarly, employers must:
■ provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment
■ ensure the H&S of all workers by providing training, information,
instructions and supervision
■ inform H&S representatives of all matters relating to health and safety.
What does it mean to provide a safe and healthy working environment? Every
employer has various obligations to fulfil, as laid out in the OHS Act. These
include ensuring that the following are in place:
■ adequate fire-fighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers
■ safety guards on all machinery that has moving parts
■ adequate personal protective equipment for workers that is suitable for
the task they are expected to perform, for example:
eye protection, aprons and gloves for welders
dust masks for workers on the tea court
ear protection for workers cutting tea at the court
full chemical-resistant overalls, gloves and a full face mask for workers spraying chemicals
■ training to all employees who have to operate machinery
■ fully equipped first aid boxes, which should include a portable first aid kit
for workers in the field
■ registration of the employer for Workmen’s Compensation
■ appropriate warning and safety signs in all areas of the farm, which
include the following: No smoking, Flammable materials, Poison, No
entry, Wear protective clothing, Water not potable, Wash hands, No
eating or drinking, Fire exit, Fire extinguisher.
■
■
■
■
Right and opposite page
Examples of appropriate
warning and safety signs
on a Rooibos farm.
30
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3
An employer with more than 10 employees must have one formally trained
first aider and at least one for every 50 employees. These certificates are only
valid for three years, so training must be kept up to date.
An employer with more than 20 employees must have one formally trained
health and safety representative and at least one representative for every 50
employees. The H&S representative must be a permanent employee and must
fulfil specific functions. It is recommended that H&S representatives be sent
on a formal H&S representative training course and that they are designated in
writing by the employer to fulfil this function. Their duties include:
■ identifying potential hazards at the workplace by conducting regular
H&S inspections
■ reviewing the effectiveness of all H&S measures currently in place
■ reporting on all H&S incidents that occur
■ representing the employer to other employees with regards to H&S
■ representing the employees to the employer with regards to H&S
■ attending H&S committee meetings.
When is it necessary to form an H&S committee? Any employer that has two
or more H&S representatives must form an H&S committee. This committee
must fulfil the functions stipulated in the OHS Act, namely:
■ holding a formal meeting at least once every three months
■ taking minutes at these meetings and keeping them in an H&S file
■ making recommendations to employers with regard to any health and
safety matters and keeping records thereof
■ discussing, reporting and keeping records of any incidents at the
workplace in which someone is killed, injured or becomes ill.
contact
A number of companies
offer first aid and H&S
representative courses:
Hopkins Calvert
Tel: 021 851 3639
E-mail: admin@hopcal.
co.za
Website:
www.hopcal.co.za
Cape Women’s Forum
Tel: 021 883 2490
Website: www.cwf.co.za
The OHS Act also specifies when a company needs to have first aiders, H&S
representatives and an H&S committee.
SAFETECH
Tel: 021 982 2771
E-mail: safetech@
telkomsa.net
St John
Tel: 021 461 8420
Website:
www.stjohn.org.za
Please remember that these are basic guidelines only. For a full understanding
of the H&S requirements for your business, consult the OHS Act. All sustainability standards have various H&S requirements – these may or may not be
exactly the same as those required by the OHS Act. Remember that you must
always comply with the requirements set out by the OHS Act, regardless of
whether or not your business is going to be certified.
31
labour and
employment
legislation
3
Sometimes the requirements of a sustainability standard may exceed those of
local legislation. Some of these additional requirements could include:
■ developing an H&S policy based on an annual risk assessment of the
business
■ having a fire evacuation procedure in place that is drilled once a year
■ developing an HIV/Aids policy
■ issuing formal appointment letters and job descriptions to all first aiders
and H&S representatives.
download To download the Occupational Health and Safety Act or
the Amended Act 181 of 1993, visit the Department of Labour’s website at
www.labour.gov.za, or go to the following link:
www.labour.gov.za/legislation/acts/occupational-health-and-safety/occupationalhealth-and-safety-act-and-amendments.
4. Employment
contracts and payslips
4.1 Employment contracts
It is a requirement that all employees, whether permanent or seasonal,
who work more than 24 hours a month, should have some form of written
employment contract. This does not have to be a long and complicated
document, but must at a minimum contain the following details:
■ Employer’s name and address
■ Worker’s name and occupation
■ Date of employment and period of contract
■ Place of work and working hours/days
■ Wage or rate and method of calculating wages
■ Rate for overtime work
■ Any other additional payments or benefits
■ Frequency of pay
■ What deductions will be made from pay
■ Leave entitlements
■ Termination of contract and notice periods
As an employer, you must keep a signed copy of this document while the
worker is employed, and for three years thereafter. You must also keep a copy
of the worker’s ID document. The contract should, if at all possible, be in the
worker’s home language. Where this is not possible, the contract must be
explained to workers in a way or language that they understand.
download Download a sample contract and payslips from the documents
library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
32
Each employee must receive a payslip when they are paid. A copy of each
payslip must be kept for three years. A payslip must at least contain the
following information:
■ Employer’s name and address
■ Worker’s name and occupation
■ Period for which payment was made
■ Total wage – it should be clear how this was calculated, e.g. hours/days
worked
■ Any deductions
■ Any overtime paid
■ Amount actually paid to the worker
■ Employer’s UIF registration number and UIF contribution for that worker
Most sustainability standards as well as South African labour law set similar
requirements in terms of employment. However, some of the standards, such
as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified and Right Rooibos, have
additional requirements that the South African labour law omits:
■ There must be workers’ representation in place, which can take the form
of a union or an internally established workers’ committee. This commit-
tee should meet regularly with its members without management being present to discuss work-related issues. The committee should then have a separate meeting with management to give feedback and resolve issues.
■ The employer must have a written non-discrimination policy in place
that lays out the company’s position on discrimination in the workplace
with regard to recruitment and training. For an example, see the example of an Employment Policy in Chapter 2: Integrated Management System, paragraph 1.1.
■ The employer must have a written sexual harassment policy and gender
equity policy in place.
Even though these requirements will only become applicable to your business
if you choose to become certified under one of these standards, following
them is still recommended. These types of procedures in conjunction with a
workers’ committee can improve your employer-worker relations, which in turn
generally results in a happier and more productive workforce.
employment contracts and payslips
4.3 Additional requirements
labour and
employment
legislation
3
4.2 Payslips
Finding sample policy documents
Examples of all these policies can be found online, but don’t forget that you still need to work
through and amend them to suit the needs of your enterprise and circumstances.
download
SME Toolkit South Africa has a wealth of information on their
website: http://southafrica.smetoolkit.org/sa/en. Use the search facility to find the
policy you are looking for. For example, in the search button at the top of the page,
type in “sample sexual harassment policy” and a Word document sample will come
up along with other sample policies.
33
labour and
employment
legislation
3
the commission for conciliation, mediation & arbitration (CCMA)
34
5. The Commission
for Conciliation,
Mediation and
Arbitration (CCMA)
The CCMA was established as a requirement of the Labour
Relations Act to become a dispute resolution body. Although
it is an independent entity, it has on its governing body
representatives from government, business and labour. However,
it is not controlled by the state, any political party or trade union.
What are the functions of the CCMA and why would you ever need to contact
them? The CCMA can assist individuals and organisations to solve various
labour-related problems, for example:
■ employees have the right to go to the CCMA if they feel that they have
been unfairly dismissed
■ employers can go to the CCMA for advice and training on the termination
of employment contracts, disciplinary procedures, dispute resolution in
the workplace and the prevention of sexual harassment
■ workers’ committees can seek advice on meeting procedures and dispute
resolution.
contact Find out more about the CCMA by visiting their website at
www.ccma.org.za.
They also have offices in the Western and Northern Cape.
Western Cape
Tel: 021 469 0111
Northern Cape
Tel: 053 836 7300
environment
1.1 Risk assessment
important
Where to plant Rooibos
It is important to plant Rooibos in areas that are suitable for its growth over the long term.
Rooibos grows best:
■ in areas where sandstone or quartzite Fynbos grows, i.e. on sandstone and quartzitic,
well-drained soils belonging to the Table Mountain Group
■ at a soil pH between 4,0 and 5,5
■ at a soil phosphorus level of between 5 and 15 ppm
■ between 300 and 1 000 m but higher than 250 m above sea level
■ where the rainfall is between 200 and 700 mm per year
■ at a soil total nitrogen level of between 0,05 and 0,2%
■ where soil carbon is normally low, at about 1% (but may be higher)
■ on any slope aspect, although it often naturally occurs on southern slopes
■ on a slight slope of about 6 degrees, but the terrain may be flat or up to 15 degrees, although steeper slopes can result in erosion.
5
impact of farming on the environment
1. Impact of farming
on the environment
environment
chapter 5
Rooibos does not grow in waterlogged soils, so planting should only be done at an adequate distance from
water bodies and should avoid soils where hard clay layers occur 10–20 cm below the soil surface. Small farm
fields 500 m in diameter close to natural vegetation are preferable to larger farm fields if you want good
pollination (by solitary bees and wasps) and seedset. The legal 32 m buffer from the edge of water resources,
which requires development authorisation, should always be respected.
43
environment
5
Above Even the placement and management of tea courts used for the fermentation and drying of
Rooibos must not impact negatively on the environment.
In terms of most sustainability certification schemes, farmers must carry out
a risk assessment to determine whether farming practices will have a negative
effect on the environment. Each farmer must also design an environmental
management plan to address any negative effects.
To assess the risks of farming activities on the environment, it is necessary
to use maps of the farm showing the various farm activities and production
areas. It is also important to show the environmental context, for example
where natural areas, rivers, wetlands, special habitats and so on are located.
A simple risk assessment for farming can be broken up into seven steps:
1
tip To understand the
environmental context of
the farm when making
a risk assessment, it
is necessary to know
where sensitive areas
are situated and whether
areas have been identified
as Critical Biodiversity
Areas (CBAs) or Ecological
Support Areas (ESAs).
See the next section 1.3
Mapping and biodiversity
information on your farm
for guidelines on accessing
this information.
44
Step 1: Aspect
Identify the aspects (activities, conditions or infrastructure) of farming that
may negatively affect the environment or people on the farm. Some typical
aspects include:
■ Vegetation clearing for new fields
■8 Ploughing
■8 Fertilising
■8 Pesticide application
■8 Grazing
■8 Roads
■8 Waste management
■8 Fire
2
Step 2: Impact
Identify the impacts that the activity or infrastructure (aspect) can have on
people and the environment. Typically, the aspect “Vegetation clearing for new
fields” can have the following impacts:
■8 Loss of biodiversity
■8 Loss of connectivity across the landscape
■8 The payment of heavy fines (if unauthorised)
Or the aspect “Pesticide application” can have the following impacts:
■ Poisoning the person applying the pesticide, causing illness
■ Loss of biodiversity (by killing non-target species)
4
When considering consequences, it is necessary to take into account all
the issues related to the possible impact. Similarly, for the aspect “Pesticide
application” the person applying the pesticide may run a higher risk of being
poisoned and becoming ill if a prohibited chemical is used or if they are not
provided with the correct protective equipment.
5
Step 5: Risk level
For each impact, the following matrix can be used to determine the risk
associated with that impact:
Likelihood
of impact
occurring
Certain
Medium risk
Medium risk
High risk
High risk
Probable
Low risk
Medium risk
Medium risk
High risk
Possible
Low risk
Low risk
Medium risk
Medium risk
Unlikely
Very low risk
Low risk
Low risk
Medium risk
Small
Medium
Large
Catastrophic
Consequences if impact occurs
6
Step 6: Apply the risk level matrix
For each aspect, enter all the information into a table, which may then look like
this:
Aspect
Vegetation
clearing for new
fields
Pesticide
application
Impact
Likelihood
Consequences
Risk level
Loss of biodiversity
Possible
Medium
Low risk
Loss of connectivity
across the landscape
Probable
Medium
Medium risk
Payment of fine
Unlikely
Small
Very low risk
Poisoning the person
applying pesticide
Probable
Catastrophic
High risk
Loss of biodiversity
Possible
Medium
Low risk
5
Step 4: Consequences
Determine what the consequences of the impact would be. Consequences can
be short-lived but catastrophic, for example the death of a person, or manifest
over a longer term, for example serious erosion that leads to the permanent
loss of topsoil. The consequences can be broken down into simple categories:
■ Small ■Medium
■Large
■Catastrophic
environment
3
Step 3: Likelihood
Determine the likelihood that an impact will occur. A simple way to do this
would be to assess if the chances are:
■Certain
■Probable
■Possible
■Unlikely
45
environment
5
example
Determining the risk level
Let’s consider two scenarios to determine the risk level (Step 5) for the aspect “Vegetation
clearing for new fields” and the impact “Loss of biodiversity”. In Scenario 1, you are considering
clearing an old field that was used many years ago. In Scenario 2, you are contemplating clearing
virgin land where a critically endangered plant species grows; the area is also listed as a Critical
Biodiversity Area (CBA).
Scenario 1: Clearing an old field
1.Aspect Vegetation clearing for new fields
2.Impact Loss of biodiversity
3.Likelihood of impact Possible
4.Consequences of the impact Medium
5.Risk levelLow
Scenario 2: Clearing virgin land with critically endangered species in a CBA
1.Aspect Vegetation clearing for new fields
2.Impact Loss of biodiversity
3.Likelihood of impact
Certain
4.Consequences of the impactLarge
5.Risk levelHigh
7
Step 7: Draw up action plans
Prioritise those aspects with a higher risk for action and indicate proposed
actions in a management plan. Actions must be aimed at removing the source
of the risk or changing the way an aspect is implemented or where it is situated.
For example, using a more environmentally friendly pesticide or biological
control will influence the source of the risk for the aspect “Pesticide
application”, while not spraying pesticides within 5 m of natural habitat will
decrease the consequences of the impact by killing only target species.
Mitigating the risk for the aspect “Loss of connectivity across the landscape”
when planning a new field can be achieved by purposely leaving corridors of
natural habitat that link core natural areas.
1.2 Environmental
Management Plan
An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is mandatory for certification. It
must document background information and include maps, policy statements,
objectives, responsibilities and timeframes for management action. Compile
an EMP that becomes a part of your Integrated Management System, as
discussed in Chapter 2: Integrated Management System. The EMP explains
how the impacts of farming, as identified in the risk assessment (see 1.1 Risk
assessment) and contextualised with the biodiversity information and maps
of the farm (see 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm), are
going to be addressed.
Remember that EMPs are working documents that must be updated regularly
to redefine objectives and monitor and keep track of actions.
46
Use all the control points in the Right Rooibos Standard
(Environment section) under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za to
define objectives and actions; this will also satisfy other certification systems.
1.2.1 Suggested structure –
Environmental Management Plan
You could follow the following structure when drawing up the Environmental
Management Plan for your farm:
■ Cover / Inside cover
List the names and contact details of the farm(s), owner(s), manager(s) and author(s).
Table of Contents
Left An example of a Table
of Contents in a user file.
Note the use of colour-coded
section dividers.
■ Introduction
Include background information on the farm or enterprise, farm names,
district and number, certification context, where the emphases lie, how
often the plan should be reviewed, etc.
Policy
Write a policy statement that confirms the farm’s commitment to
sustainable production practices, the conservation of natural and production resources, legal practices and certification, if applicable.
■
■
Conservation significance
Describe why the farm and specific habitats on the property have
conservation significance – include international, regional and local
perspectives. Include a description of vegetation types and conservation status (e.g. original extent of habitat, what percentage is left, what
percentage of the conservation target is represented on the property). Which ecological processes and gradients occur on the property? Any red data book species? Any special breeding sites? Any previous research
conducted on the property? Refer to the CapeNature Stewardship Site Assessment Form if the property has been assessed by CapeNature for stewardship purposes.
5
■
environment
download
■ Insert maps of vegetation types that occur on the property and any other ecological features from the fine-scale plans available on the Biodiversity Geographical Information System (BGIS) website at http://bgis.sanbi.org
(see 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm).
47
■ Describe management actions
The following categories should typically be used and objectives should be
defined under each one:
Financial planning
Authorisation for development and water use
Impact of farming on the environment
Water resources management
Irrigation
Soil health
Corridors and connectivity
Invasive alien plant management
Fertilisation
Crop protection
Food safety and hygiene
Wild rooibos
Waste and hazardous materials management
Climate change management
environment
5
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
48
■
Insert the details for each management objective, (see the example below).
download
A template of an
Environmental
Management Plan and
an APO can be found in
the library under the
Right Rooibos tab at
Insert the relevant maps in the body of the plan to provide a context for the
various objectives and as a record of actions taken.
Annual Plan of Operations (APO)
Create a table or spreadsheet for every year, indicating the schedule for
implementing each management action. Update it regularly by indicating the
percentage progress to date (see the example below).
Communication is the key to success
For an Environmental Management Plan to be successfully implemented on a farm, everyone on the
farm must be aware of the plan and its main objectives. Auditors of certification schemes need to
determine if management policies, management plans and objectives are being communicated to
farm workers. This can be done by:
■ providing training to employees on, e.g.
littering, waste management, recycling, what hazardous waste is and how to treat it
saving water and energy
illegal hunting and fishing
the importance of protecting natural resources
■ making information available by posting visual images and signs, e.g.
pictures of important plants and animals that occur on the farm
pictures or posters of ecosystem functioning
signboards indicating no-go areas like rehabilitation sites
“No littering” signs.
■
■
■
■
environment
information
5
■
■
■
■
Above Example of the Landscape of a Living Farm poster, available from Gerhard Pretorius at:
Tel: 022 482 1500 Cell: 082 450 2571 E-mail: [email protected]
1.2.2 Species lists and threatened species
Although producers are not expected to become botanists or zoologists
overnight, some effort should be made to list common species and know
which threatened species occur on the farm. Simple lists of plants, mammals,
reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish are a good start. Using common names is
fine but, if possible, Latin names should also be recorded. Note the date and
area (GPS position, if possible) of new sightings or discoveries, as well as the
name of the observer. If possible, take photographs and keep them on record.
If threatened species are known to occur on the farm, it is essential to ensure
that farming operations do not further threaten their survival. No one has the
right to cause the extinction of a species or act in any way that may lead to it.
49
■ Protect the species from direct threats. If it is a plant, make sure it is not picked or collected or subject to herbicide drift. If it is an animal, make sure it is not hunted or that its nest or lair is not disturbed.
■ Protect the habitat of the species. Set the area where the species occurs
aside for conservation and do not develop or disturb it. Prevent erosion and treat it quickly if it occurs. Fynbos plants need periodic burning,
so make sure fires do not occur too frequently, but also not too
infrequently. Get a botanist’s advice on the best fire frequency. If it is an
animal species, get a specialist to give you advice on its habitat needs.
When it comes to conservation areas, bigger is better, so provide as much suitable habitat as possible.
■ Remove indirect threats such as invasive alien plants and overgrazing.
■ Another indirect threat lies in the fact that some species will eventually
die if their habitat is fragmented or too small. Some animals, including
insects, cannot or will not cross over open or transformed terrain if
it is too far to the next habitat fragment. This can affect plants too if the
animals that pollinate them or distribute their seeds cannot cross the
open or transformed terrain. The solution is to recreate corridors
between fragments and other natural areas. See 2.4 Corridors and connectivity.
environment
5
1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm
As mentioned above in 1.1 Risk assessment, the severity of environmental
impacts has to be considered within the context of what is important on a
farm. Two excellent sources of information are available to the farmer:
1. The Fynbos Forum Ecosystem Guidelines provide vital information about
each ecosystem type in the Western Cape.
download
You can download
the Fynbos Forum
Ecosystem Guidelines
at http://bgis.sanbi.
org/FF_Ecosystem_
Guidelines.pdf.
This information is presented in a compact, easy-to-understand format and
should be read by all farmers, especially when planning new developments.
For each ecosystem type it provides information on:
■ the key ecological “drivers” in terms of maintaining ecosystem function, patterns or structure
■ the key issues, vulnerabilities and threats
■ the “bottom lines” and non-negotiable aspects
50
broad spatial guidelines with respect to the best approach to development and disturbance
critical aspects to maintain in terms of managing the system for biodiversity and ensuring its persistence
reliable indicators that can be used to monitor ecosystem health
the reversibility of impacts over a 5–10-year period, and acceptable
trade-offs, compensation or offsets for biodiversity loss.
environment
■
■
■
■
2. The Biodiversity Advisor and Biodiversity Geographical Information
System (BGIS) are online information resources.
download
The Biodiversity
Advisor is available at
http://biodiversityadvisor.
sanbi.org and the BGIS
at http://bgis.sanbi.org.
You can also access the
Advisor from the BGIS site
by selecting the second
item under “What’s new”.
Above Screenshot of the BGIS
website.
Right An example of the maps
that can be created with BGIS.
You have to register as a user, but the information is freely accessible. These
resources will help you to find biodiversity information about your farm
without the need for specialised software. Clicking on the Biodiversity
Advisor link will show you how to find your farm on a map using the Land-use
Decision Support Tool. This tool allows you to find a specific parcel of land
and then automatically analyses it in terms of biodiversity. A short report is
generated about vegetation types and their status, ecological processes, soils
and other information and you can access a list of all the plants in your area.
Once you have signed in, you can also build your own maps of the farm
using the interactive mapping tools under the “Maps” tab to show Critical
Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), Ecological Support Areas (ESAs), vegetation types,
soils, etc. You can draw lines, shapes and symbols and enter text, among other
functions, and print your maps.
5
Various maps are usually necessary to illustrate management actions, which
makes it easier for auditors to orientate themselves and understand the
farm’s management system. Use your common sense to decide what can
be illustrated effectively with maps. The larger and more complex a farming
operation, the more sophisticated the maps will be.
All Rooibos fields must be mapped and named/numbered as part of the
traceability system.
The Introduction of the Environmental Management Plan should contain at
least the following:
■ A location map (just farm boundaries, towns, main roads, regional context)
51
environment
5
■ A land-use map (distinguish between agricultural versus natural areas, as well as disturbed areas / old fields)
■ An infrastructure map (houses, stores, schools, tea courts, roads, waste disposal sites, agrochemical mixture sites)
The section on Impact of farming on the environment should contain:
■ Maps indicating the various vegetation types
■ Maps of Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), Ecological Support Areas (ESAs) and special habitats like quartz patches
■ Maps of natural areas that have been set aside for conservation
The section on Water resources management should contain:
■ Maps of rivers, wetlands, dams and their buffers
■ Maps showing degraded areas and erosion
The section on Soil health should contain:
■ Maps of eroded or degraded areas
■ Maps of areas under rehabilitation
The section on Irrigation should contain:
■ An irrigation infrastructure map indicating the position of boreholes, irrigation dams, pumps and main pipelines
The section on Invasive alien plant management should contain:
■ Maps indicating the distribution of alien plants, using numbered polygons or blocks
Maps can be used to highlight and illustrate any part of the management plan.
Above and right Examples of
farm maps necessary to highlight
aspects of the management plan.
Information
A note about maps…
Use aerial photographs or orthophotos as background wherever possible.
■ Mapping of various aspects should be done at a suggested scale of 1:10 000.
■ Ensure that each map has a legible key that is properly labelled.
■ Don’t obscure background data layers with solid fill when indicating management zones –
rather use numbered or transparent polygons.
■ Use A3 pull-out maps where possible – because they are larger, they are easier to use and interpret.
52
■
environment
2. Integrated resource management
2.1 Authorisations
2.1.1 Water use
Since 1998, all commercial water use, as it was in that year, have had to
be registered with the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). Any water
developments or increased use after that date has to be authorised by DWA.
The DWA is in the process of verifying all registrations and inspecting all new
developments. Water registration also requires farmers to measure and record
their water use.
General authorisations: DWA water use registration/licensing
Action
Maximum quantity without
registration
Maximum quantity
without licence
Monitoring
requirements
Period for retaining
records (years)
Abstraction of
groundwater
10 m³ any day
0, 60, 300, 750 m³
depending on the drainage
region
Monthly
5
Abstraction of
surface water
50 m³ any day (except from the
Olifants River or the Berg River)
25 ha soil @ 6 000 m³/
ha/year or 100 m³ any day
(max 25 ℓ/sec)
Monthly
5
Storing of water
10 000 m³ any day (except when 50 000 m³ any day
abstracted from the Olifants
River or any of its tributaries)
Monthly
5
The above “General authorisations” do not mean that other legal requirements
are replaced; they apply to DWA authorisation only.
Integrated resource Management
All water use since 1998 not covered by “General authorisations” must be
registered with the DWA.
5
2.1.2 Development of new fields
Producers must obtain authorisation from all relevant authorities prior to
developing virgin land or land left uncultivated for more than 10 years. For
all developments this means obtaining authorisation from the National
Department of Agriculture. However, where developments entail activities
listed in Government Notices R. 544, 545 and 546 and Listing Notices 1, 2
and 3: Lists of activities and competent authorities, authorisation must also
be obtained from the relevant provincial environmental authorities. These
developments must be dealt with in terms of the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) regulations of 18 June 2010.
Download
The EIA regulations and
Listing Notices can be
downloaded from
www.capegateway.gov.
za/eng/yourgovernment/
gsc/406/services/
11537/10199.
Download
You can download the Guide to Environmental Legislation under the Right Rooibos
tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
53
environment
5
In the Rooibos area these authorities are:
Province
Department
Region
Office
Telephone number
e-mail
Western Cape
Department of
Environmental Affairs
and Development
Planning (DEA&DP)
West Coast
Cape Town
021 483 4094
[email protected]
Northern Cape
Department of
Environment and
Nature Conservation
(DENC)
All
Springbok
027 718 8800
[email protected]
information
Typical farm activities that require authorisation
A Basic Assessment (BA) is required for:
■ The building of dams, weirs, bridges, channels or any building bigger than 50 m² in a
watercourse or within 32 m from its edge (Listing Notice 1:11). To determine where the edge is refer to 2.2 Water resources.
■ The construction or conversion of facilities for tourism (Listing Notice 3:5, 6 and 7).
■ The deposit, removal or moving of more than 5 m³ of any material in a watercourse (Listing Notice 1:18).
■ Building a road wider than 4 m and with a reserve of less than 13,5 m, or larger than 1 km (Listing Notice 3:4).
■ The construction of 4x4 tracks for recreational use (Listing Notice 3:11).
■ The clearing of more than 300 m² of indigenous vegetation in Critically Endangered or Endangered ecosystems (Listing Notice 3:12). For information on endangered ecosystems, refer to section 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm.
■ The clearing of more than 1 ha of indigenous vegetation in Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs)
or Ecosystem Support Areas (ESAs) (Listing Notice 3:13(a)). For information on CBAs and ESAs, refer to section 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm.
■ The clearing of more than 5 ha of indigenous vegetation in any area (Listing Notice 3:14(a)(i)).
■ The construction of buildings or infrastructure with a footprint of more than 10 m² within a
watercourse or within 32 m from its edge, which is also a CBA or an ESA (Listing Notice 3:16).
Full Scoping and Environmental Impact Report (S&EIR) is required for:
■ The physical alteration of virgin soil to agriculture of 100 ha or more (Listing Notice 2:16).
■ The construction of a dam with a wall higher than 5 m or covering more than 10 ha when full
(Listing Notice 2:19).
Finding the right information
In the Western Cape, the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (CapeNature) has a commenting
role but is not the authorising body. For any planned developments, consult the EIA regulations and
Listing Notices, speak to the authorities, or contact an environmental assessment practitioner (EAP).
Prior to the 2010 regulations, arrangements for authorisation were as follows:
From 8 September 1997 onwards, authorisation had to be obtained for
activities listed in terms of the Environment Conservation Act (ECA). This Act
was replaced by the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) on
21 April 2006.
54
environment
information
The NEMA section 24G rectification process
Unauthorised commencement or continuation of activities identified in terms of the Environment
Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations can be rectified by means of an application to DEA&DP in the
Western Cape and DENC in the Northern Cape. NEMA requires that application for rectification be
subject to an administrative fine that may not exceed R1 million. A fine calculator was developed to
determine the fine for each case.
In terms of NEMA, the Minister or relevant MEC must consider applications received and decide what
additional information or reports are required. He or she must also decide on a fine. After payment of
the fine, the Minister or relevant MEC must consider the reports or information submitted and either
grant an environmental authorisation or direct the applicant to cease the activity and rehabilitate
the site. Non-compliance with conditions of an authorisation granted or with a directive issued will
constitute an offence in terms of the Act.
To rectify any unauthorised development from 8 September 1997 onwards, the
NEMA section 24G rectification process must be followed.
5
Download A copy of the S24G application form can be downloaded at
www.capegateway.gov.za/Text/2005/7/s24g_application_form_-western_cape.pdf.
contact
Useful contacts
Western Cape: Tel: 021 483 5687
Northern Cape: Tel: 027 718 8800
For all Basic Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments or NEMA S24G
applications, an independent environmental assessment practitioner must be
appointed.
55
2.2 Water resources
environment
5
2.2.1 Protection and management of natural resources
It should come as no surprise that water is a scarce resource. The protection
of this resource and its associated habitats is required by law. For best practice
purposes, no waste water or water-containing waste should be discharged
into a water resource. Nor should waste be disposed of in a way that will have
a detrimental effect on a water resource (see 4. Management of waste and
hazardous materials).
Evaporation
Precipitation
Evaporation
Interception
Industrial use
Rooibos
Domestic and
agricultural use
Surface flow
Infiltration
Dam
Seepage
Ground water
Deep stored water
Above Water as a scarce resource must be protected along its path in the natural water cycle.
Water circulates through the ecosystem. It is important to understand that our
actions can have a detrimental effect not only on the ground water, but also
on dam storage, riparian vegetation, evaporation, etc.
In addition, we must not interfere with the flow regime, in other words the
natural path, direction and velocity of water without obtaining authorisation
from the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). Detrimental interference could
take the form of:
■ canalising water flow
■ digging drainage ditches
■ infilling by dumping soil and rubble
■ removing existing obstructions to stream flow, thus causing erosion.
The disposal of waste or the execution of any farming practices in a way that
will have an impact on water use must also be authorised by the DWA. Also,
the activities you are planning may be listed activities and would then require
a Basic Assessment (BA) or a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
56
The alien fish species compete with and predate on the indigenous ones, while
orchards and crops on the river banks have a threefold impact: the removal
of buffer vegetation reduces the stream quality, the toxic agrochemical runoff
affects life in the streams, and excessive water extraction for irrigation poses a
major threat.
…land which is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the
water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is periodically covered
with shallow water, and which land in normal circumstances supports or
would support vegetation typically adapted to life in saturated soil.
The DWA has published a useful guide entitled A practical field procedure
for identification and delineation of wetlands and riparian zones to establish
whether an area is a wetland or not, while other sources provide guidance on
the protection and rehabilitation of wetlands (see the information box).
In addition to indications of soil moisture (colour and mottles), typical wetland
vegetation (sedges and reeds) is also an indicator of areas often or always
under water. The boundary between a wetland and a terrestrial environment is
usually where at 50 cm deep there are no indications of water-logging or base
flow. The DWA’s guidelines can be used to identify and delineate wetlands
during the rainy season.
Wetland
Not waterlogged
• No base flow
• No residual pools
• No mottles
• No wetland vegetation
0–50 cm 50–100 cm 100–150 cm
Temporarily
waterlogged
Seasonally
waterlogged
• Grey-brown or
yellow-brown soils
• Few mottles
• Mixture of
terrestrial and wetland plants
• Sporadic base flow
•
•
•
•
•
Grey soils
Many mottles
Significant numbers of wetland plants
Seasonal base flow
Residual pools
5
information
Identifying a
wetland
In brief, wetlands must have
one or more of the following
attributes:
■ wetland (hydromorphic)
soils that display certain characteristics as a result
of prolonged saturation
■ the presence, at least
occasionally, of water loving plants
(hydrophytes)
■ a high water table
that results in saturation
at or near the surface,
leading to anaerobic
conditions developing in
the top 50 cm of the soil.
(a) Wetlands
What is a wetland? The National Water Act defines these ecosystems as:
environment
Water is not only a resource, it is also a habitat. For example, the Olifants
River and its tributaries are home to a range of vulnerable and endangered
fish species. Barbus erubescens (Twee River redfin), Barbus serra (sawfin),
Barbus calidus (Clanwilliam redfin) and the Labeobarbus capensis (Clanwilliam
yellowfish) are all local indigenous species that are being threatened by:
■ the historic introduction of non-indigenous smallmouth bass
(Micropterus dolomieu), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and
bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)
■ crops being cultivated on the river banks.
Permanently waterlogged
•
•
•
•
Grey soils
Few mottles
Wetland plants – sedges, reeds, bulrushes
Permanent base flow
Mottled zone
Increasing soil wetness
Left The identification of
wetland and riparian areas.
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Above Mottles are reddish-brown speckles in the soil caused by
the seasonal flooding of soil and resultant oxygen depletion.
Wetlands are usually
not isolated wet
patches. It is therefore
important not to
separate the source and
downstream portions of
a wetland. Separation is
often brought about by
poorly planned roads,
bridges, weirs, landfill
sites and cultivation.
The following points are important in the management of wetlands:
■ Allow a vegetation buffer around wetlands
■ No high-yield boreholes should be sunk near natural wetlands. Refer to 2.1 Authorisations for the allowed quantities.
■ Wetlands should not be planted to crops.
■ Alien invasive plants and animals (e.g. fish) should be removed and not be reintroduced.
■ Burning and grazing should be controlled.
■ Due to the sensitivity of the soil and vegetation, wetlands must not be
utilised for grazing from May to October, unless grazing pressure is not
too high and livestock are kept away from the deeper, wetter areas with
unstable soil.
■ If burning is needed because of plant invasion, burn in autumn only.
■ Some rehabilitation work like gabion construction may require a basic
assessment in terms of the new EIA regulations.
■ Where needed, bridges but not roads can span wetlands.
Wetlands must be monitored for signs of degradation and erosion caused by
overgrazing. Fixed-point photography and the Erosion Forms A, B, and C can
be used (see the Download box on page 69).
Areas where Rooibos die because the soil is too wet must be withdrawn from
cultivation. The area should be allowed to rehabilitate because it is most likely
a seasonal wetland.
INFORMATION
Useful sources
Wetland management and rehabilitation:
www.wetland.org.za-pracmanage.htm or www.wrc.org.za
Wetland delineation:
Use A practical field procedure for identification and delineation of wetlands and riparian areas
(DWA 2005), available at www.dwaf.gov.za or under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
WET management series:
Available in the library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za. See the National
guidelines and methods of wetland rehabilitation.pdf in particular.
Guidelines for Wetlands Management to Landowners in the Verlorenvlei Catchment:
Available in the library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
58
A natural buffer around a river is also known as a riparian zone. Riparian
vegetation stabilises river banks, thus preventing erosion. It also filters
pollutants and disease carriers, assists in maintaining a natural water
temperature, supplies organic matter to support aquatic life and provides a
natural buffer against flooding and drought by absorbing or releasing water as
needed.
It is important then that there should be no further “hardening” of buffers and
no alteration of the hydrology of wetlands. Hardening refers to activities that
retard water infiltration and speed up water movement along the surface.
Watercourses that have unrestricted stock access should be fenced off. Sheep,
horses and particularly cattle cause extensive damage along stream banks by
removing the protective vegetation cover and trampling and destabilising the
soil.
(b) Buffer zones and rivers
A buffer is a strip of natural vegetation on either side of a river that protects
the functioning, species and processes of rivers and wetlands against the
effects of adjacent land use. Buffers provide habitat for species that move,
during their entire life cycle or part thereof, between aquatic, semi-aquatic and
adjacent terrestrial areas. They function as corridors (see 2.4 Corridors and
connectivity), allowing safe movement for semi-aquatic and terrestrial animals.
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Above The buffers on either side of the stream have been “hardened”. There is no barrier that
protects the stream from adjacent agricultural activities and erosion is setting in. Unless protective
measures are put in place, this stream will become a deeply eroded gully.
5
Fence off the last 20–30 m of drainage lines before they leave your property
or join a larger watercourse. This will enhance the filtering effect of drainage
lines. Establish perennial sedges and rushes and propagate clusters of locally
occurring indigenous trees to create nodes of tall vegetation to attract birds
and encourage bird-dispersed indigenous shrubs and trees.
Allow a 32 m strip of native vegetation to grow along either side of
streams and around wetlands and dams. Authorisation is needed for new
developments within this 32 m area and it is prohibited to plant crops closer
than 10 m from the stream bank. In any event, farmers must systematically
rehabilitate cultivated buffers by withdrawing cultivation from it with each
Rooibos planting cycle. These actions must be detailed and scheduled in
the farm plan, and compliance is measured against the degree to which the
producer adheres to the plan. Non-compliance must be justified.
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5
Minor drainage line filters water
before entry into the main stream
Water trough placed away
from riparian vegetation
Fence keeps livestock out
Pump station
Stream
Indigenous riparian vegetation
Rooibos fields
Limited access for domestic livestock
Above The protection of rivers with a 32 m buffer zone – where agriculture is excluded – on either bank.
(c) Water points for livestock
For those of you with livestock, water point design will be important to
prevent erosion and the pollution of water.
INFORMATION
Ensuring ‘healthy’ water points
Remember the following:
■ Water points, kraals and dipping tanks should be located over impermeable (clay, not sandy) soils, and the seasonal high water table should be at least 3 m below the base of the tank
■ Water points should not be upslope from waterways, boreholes or fractured bedrock, and slopes of more than 20° should be avoided to prevent water pollution
■ Water points must supply enough water to prevent animals from lingering
■ Troughs and reservoirs should allow animals to escape via a pole or ramp if they fall in, and should be covered to prevent excessive evaporation, e.g. with shade cloth.
(d) Dams
To determine which category of water storage applies to you, refer to the
table entitled “General authorisations” in 2.1 Authorisations. Obtain the
necessary authorisation, if required.
Dams can be manipulated to improve biodiversity and ecological functioning.
Abundant underwater structures (e.g. rocks and logs) and indigenous water
lilies and reed beds will provide fish with shelter from birds and improve the
productivity of the dam. If these dams are stocked with threatened indigenous
fish species, a reserve level must be determined so that the dams are not
totally emptied during the irrigation season.
60
2.2.2 Water use
All employees and people residing on the farm must be made aware of the
importance of saving water. This applies not only to farming practices, but also
to water use in homes on the farm. The importance of education cannot be
overemphasised.
Left Communicate
the importance of
water conservation
with pictograms
such as these.
5
(e) Conclusion
When considering all the abovementioned water resources, it is important to
note the following:
■ Activities in the catchment that could lead to higher run-off (such as
catchment hardening, i.e. roads, paved areas) should be managed
through appropriate structures to prevent erosion. For a detailed description of these structures, refer to 2.3 Soil health.
■ In instances where historical degradation has occurred through farming
or other actions, rehabilitation of the wetland and its buffers should take
place. Bear in mind that some restoration or rehabilitation activities
are listed activities and will require the necessary authorisation. Contact
the DEA&DP and DWA to find out if you need to get authorisation.
■ Alien plants should be removed using registered herbicides or “manual” methods (hand-pulling, slashers or chainsaws), in other words, do not
use heavy machinery that might damage the area even further. This process should follow your alien clearing plan (see 2.5 Invasive alien plants).
■ Wetlands should not be burnt. If they do burn, it is important to exclude grazers from the area for at least two years.
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To further improve the dam, the shores should be planted with locally
occurring wetland plants, as well as locally occurring shrubs and trees. In
essence, it is possible to create or improve a buffer.
8–15% Cooking, drinking, washing etc
0–17% Washing machines
20–32% Bath/shower
37–70% Toilets
Left The division
of water use in
a typical low- to
medium-income
household.
61
(a) Domestic water use
Although there are variations between low-income and medium- to highincome households, typical domestic water use is divided as illustrated on the
previous page. Most water is used for toilets, followed by baths or showers.
Leaking cisterns and dripping taps are major causes of wasting water – up to
100 000 and 22 000 ℓ per annum respectively! Monitor cisterns and taps daily
and fix any leaks right away. In addition, water for gardens can constitute as
much as 50% of the total use.
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5
tips
Does your toilet leak?
Add three teaspoons of food colouring to the water in your toilet cistern. Wait for
20 minutes and inspect the water in the bowl. If it has turned the same colour as
the water in the cistern, or coloured water is dripping from the pipes that connect
the bowl and the cistern, you have a leak that needs to be fixed.
information
For more information on
using and saving water,
visit: www.capegateway.
gov.za/eng/pubs/public_
info/H/86404 or
www.capetown.gov.za/en/
Environmental
ResourceManagement/
Pages/SmartLiving
Handbook.aspx.
■ Install toilet cisterns with a maximum capacity of 9,5 ℓ. Look for ones with a
dual-flush system, i.e. half a flush for liquids and a full flush for solids.
■ Shower instead of taking a bath – it uses much less water. Install low-volume
showerheads (make sure you have at least 600 kPa geyser pressure).
■ Fit water aerators to taps in the bathroom and kitchen. This reduces water flow by approximately 70%.
■ Turn your garden into a water-wise garden by planting indigenous plants.
Do not water the garden between 10:00 and 16:00.
■ Install rainwater tanks to collect rainwater. This could reduce your borehole or fountain water consumption by about 15%.
(b) Commercial water use: Irrigation management
It is not standard practice to irrigate Rooibos fields, but a farm certification
scheme requires a holistic approach and the irrigation of other crops may
affect your certification.
contact
For assistance regarding
efficient irrigation,
contact the Agricultural
Engineering Directorate.
Malmesbury office: Tel: 022 482 2265
Piketberg office: Tel: 022 913 1112
For the testing of water
samples, contact the Soil,
Water and Plant Tissue
Laboratory at Elsenburg:
Tel: 021 808 5286.
62
Quick tips to save water
Before starting to irrigate, the producer must have access to the rainfall
records for the area and systematic rainfall forecasting methods. This will help
you to make an informed decision on the best application of irrigation water.
Draw up a water action plan to optimise irrigation water use and thus reduce
water loss and waste. This plan should make provision for:
■ a proper dripper irrigation system with adequate but not excessive
nozzle sizes
■ regular checking and mending/replacement of leaking valves, nozzles and pipes
■ soil moisture measurements
■ properly scheduled irrigation according to weather conditions, soil moisture measurements and soil type to ensure optimum wetting of soil for the particular crop
■ refraining from irrigation during extremely hot or windy conditions
■ adjusting the irrigation according to the season and the growth stage of the crop.
Additional records must include:
■ the date of irrigation
■ the quantity of water extracted as well as delivered
■ where the irrigation water was used
■ monthly records of borehole water levels.
Equipment required and methodology for
measuring borehole water levels
information
Dip meter gauge
Tape measure cable
5
Piezometer tube – a pipe with a small diameter that goes down the borehole. It should be closed
with an end cap when not in use.
Dip meter – the dip meter is lowered slowly into the piezometer tube until the probe at its tip touches
the water. The electrical current in the special dip meter cable flows when the probe is in the water.
Tape measure – used to measure the water level in the borehole on the dip meter cable.
Logbook – recording of water levels must be done at least once a month. Take the reading on a day
when no extraction takes place.
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Irrigation water must only be extracted from sustainable sources. Water
samples must be tested annually to assess phytosanitary, chemical or physical
pollution or contamination of irrigation water sources. It is important to keep
records of any corrective actions taken.
Dip meter probe
Above Example of a dip meter with a tape measure cable and probe.
Below The piezometer tube is covered with an end cap when not in use.
Flow meter
End cap
Piezometer tube
63
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5
Dip meter
Piezometer tube
Water level
Pipes
Borehole pump
contact
Contact the DWA
at 027 482 2233
to obtain records
of verification or
authorisation and
to apply for new
water use permits
for new boreholes or
extraction points.
Above The piezometer tube in a borehole with the dip meter in action.
Producers should keep records of water extraction by installing volume flow
meters at points of extraction.
tip
Volume flow meters can be bought at your local co-op or from
RS Components at http://za.rs-online.com.
download
Copy the Borehole extraction sheet (right) that is available in the
library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za to use for each of your
extraction points.
64
What is “healthy” soil? For Rooibos farmers, it means soils that closely
approximate the natural soils of the Fynbos biome in terms of pH, soil
structure, soil microorganisms and macrofauna (e.g. earthworms), moisture
content, nutrient concentration and soil organic matter (SOM). If soil fertility is
close to or slightly higher than that of the natural soils, Rooibos yields will be
maintained over time.
Land clearing for Rooibos monoculture involves removing vegetation. Without
certain deep-rooted plants, the water table could rise. This will push salts into
the topsoil and excess water could even flow under the topsoil to cause soil
collapse. Soil collapse, vegetation removal, as well as poor tilling practices and
overfertilisation could lead to erosion of the topsoil and loss of SOM. Some
aspects of cultivation, such as land clearing and tilling, cannot be completely
avoided, while others, such as poor site selection and poor tilling practices,
can. Inevitably, your soils will have to be managed to maintain the correct
slope, topsoil, SOM and the correct pH and nutrient balance.
2.3.1 Management of disturbed areas
Fields that have fallen foul of injudicious practices such as land clearing, poor
site selection, poor tilling practices and overfertilisation, lose their ability to
function effectively. The loss of vegetation, topsoil, soil structure and soil
functioning must be prevented and, if already present, corrected. The methods
recommended for the management of disturbed areas refer to rehabilitation,
but some of these methods can also be applied to prevent disturbance.
5
Increasing the humus content of the soil increases both its nutrient and
water-holding capacity, and encourages macrofauna to “till” the soil for you.
Soil fertility and SOM can be maintained by adding crop residues and other
organic matter, but inorganic N fertilisers will most probably also be required
to allow the decomposition of organic material by soil microorganisms and
macrofauna. This may be even more environmentally friendly if, for example,
importing organic matter means robbing another area of organic material.
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2.3 Soil health
(a) Methods
Rehabilitation refers to the reintroduction of certain ecosystem functions, such
as improved water infiltration. Best practice refers not only to how you farm
Rooibos, but also to how you care for the land. Rooibos producers should aim
to rehabilitate disturbed areas using a variety of methods, the most important
of which are the following:
■ Removal of alien vegetation
This aspect is covered in detail in 2.5 Invasive alien plants.
Make sure it is detailed in your farm management plan.
■ Fire management
This is covered in detail in 2.7 Fire management.
■ Grazing management
For those of you who also farm with cattle and shoats (sheep and goats), refer to 2.3.4 Management of overgrazed areas.
65
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5
■ Erosion management
Erosion and its management are covered in 2.3.2 Erosion management.
■ Introduction of indigenous vegetation
Sometimes the disturbed areas are so large that natural seeding from bordering vegetation cannot happen fast enough to help stabilise the soil
and initiate the recovery of ecosystem processes. Additionally, the seed
bank of the area might be depleted. In addition to measures to prevent
erosion, it would be necessary to reseed or plant locally indigenous
vegetation. In short, you should consider the following when seeding:
use only seeds or plants from similar vegetation types in the same area
collect seeds after the rainfall season, i.e. November to March.
make sure you sow seeds from a variety of plants – select annuals,
perennials, grasses, shrubs, vygies, etc.
seeds must be completely dry before sowing
most Fynbos seeds will germinate better if exposed to smoke; place the seeds in a tent and channel smoke from a small fire into the tent
sow just prior to the first heavy rains
sow at least 5 kg of seed per hectare.
before seeding, prepare the soil by digging hollows with berms, as described in 2.3.2 Erosion management, because this will greatly improve the germination potential
exclude livestock from seeded areas.
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
contact
Do you need seeds of similar vegetation types?
Seeds of species indigenous to your target area can be purchased from specialist
suppliers of Fynbos and Karoo plant seeds:
Worcester Veld Reserve: Tel: 023 347 1121
Vula Environmental in Vredendal: Tel: 082 564 5748
Renu-Karoo Veld Restoration in Prince Albert: Tel: 082 770 0206
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town: Tel: 021 799 8783
■ Monitoring
Even if you are not actively rehabilitating all disturbed areas, it is important to monitor these sites. Things might look fine now, but the combined effect of drought, grazing and fire (for instance) might cause irreversible damage.
66
1
2
Map – On any map of you farm (hand-drawn, GIS or Google Earth), indicate the disturbed areas by marking out their boundaries.
Prioritise – Areas for rehabilitation should be prioritised as follows:
■ Medium priority
Areas that are not one of the above but are subject to continued
disturbance or degradation could affect a high priority site.
■ Low priority
These areas do not fit into the above two categories, show minimal disturbance and can recover with the minimum amount of action, such as
discontinuing grazing.
Example:
5
■ High priority
Ecosystems that are Critically Endangered (CR) or Endangered (EN) must receive High National Priority.
High Local Priority areas would be Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs,
according to the fine-scale plans for the area), Critical Ecological
Support Areas (CESAs), Other Ecological Support Areas (OESAs) and
sites that potentially contain CR or EN species. These can be identified
using the Biodiversity GIS website at http://bgis.sanbi.org.
A plan in
your head
is a dream;
a plan on
paper is the
beginning of
a result.
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(b) Prioritisation
This is how you could go about rehabilitating disturbed areas:
Prioritising rehabilitation work
You may have five high, four medium and six low priority areas. When selecting a high priority area to
rehabilitate first, e.g. erosion, select the area or areas that can be rehabilitated quickly with little effort,
rather than those that are extremely degraded.
For example, say you have demarcated two high priority areas.
Area A is a CBA, but the seed bank is intact, there is no erosion, but some alien vegetation does occur,
e.g. Port Jackson.
Area B is also a CBA, but with major erosion and large-scale infestation of alien vegetation.
In this case, Area A would receive the higher priority.
Higher priority usually means less intervention or effort and smaller financial input with larger or
equivalent gain.
Below Note that the
proposed starting dates
for rehabilitation also
allocate priority based
on the condition of the
site – here Klipkraal #4
receives first attention.
67
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5
3
4
5
Plan – Decide on the actions you will need to take to rehabilitate each area,
e.g. discontinue grazing, clear aliens. Put a timeline to those actions: when
would you start and when do you anticipate completing the work?
Action – Do the work.
Monitor – Follow the procedures described in section 2.3.2 under (a)
Monitoring.
2.3.2 Erosion management
What is erosion? It is the natural movement of topsoil from high-lying areas
to lower-lying areas. In natural systems, erosion is in balance with topsoil
formation (erosion of parent rocks). However, overgrazing and poor farming
methods result in vegetation and soil loss so that topsoil is being lost faster
than it can be replaced. Poorly designed and maintained roads are some of
the main causes of erosion on farms (see 2.3.3 Road management).
The soil in exposed areas is usually moved by wind and/or water. Erosion
usually starts as sheet erosion (the removal of a sheet or thin layer of topsoil)
and ends up as gully erosion (deep, high-walled channels). Gullies can also
effectively lower the water table in the surrounding area.
Above Gully erosion.
Right Sheet erosion.
(a) Monitoring
(i) Mapping and planning
Rooibos producers should map areas where soil is being eroded by wind
and water. Why? Because unless you know whether and where erosion
occurs on your farm, you cannot manage it or convince an auditor that you
are addressing the problem. Mapping can be done by walking along the
boundaries of the eroded site with a GPS and then placing the polygon on a
georeferenced map. Most environmental consultants will be able to assist you
with this. Alternatively, download the satellite photo of your farm from Google
Earth, print it out and use a marker pen to indicate eroded areas. If you do not
have access to the technology, a hand-drawn map will suffice.
68
An erosion management flow diagram
1. Assess the situation
2. Map and prioritise
all the systems
3. Select a system
for treatment
4. Determine the cause
of the erosion
8. Monitor the
treatment results
9. Evaluate the results
10. Modify the design,
if required
Maintain the treatment until
the cause and the symptom
are gone
■
■
■
Things to remember
If the erosion problem originates outside your property’s boundaries, try to involve
the owners of the neighbouring properties in addressing the problem.
Always select the system with the least erosion or the one with the highest elevation
for first treatment.
Work from high (up the mountain) to low (in the valley) and from areas with little
(sheet erosion) or fresh erosion to those with a lot of erosion (gully erosion).
Erosion control seems daunting, but is actually very easy. If you put the right
physical structures in place, nature takes over and does the work for you.
7.Implement
■
5
6. Secondary action: Design a treatment for the symptom
5. Main action: Design a treatment for the cause
Tip
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Various steps are involved in dealing with erosion. The flow diagram below
explains the process.
Monitor and keep a record of your efforts by using forms – such as the one on
the next page – to help you with the rehabilitation and monitoring process.
download To help you manage and keep a record of decisions and actions,
Form A (Soil erosion condition monitoring guide), Form B (Soil erosion procedural
guide), Form C (Fixed-point photography record sheet) and Form D (Site
rehabilitation monitoring sheet) are available for download from the library under the
Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
69
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5
You can use two methods, namely fixed-point photography and gully profile
management, to monitor your rehabilitation efforts.
(ii) Fixed-point photography
Fixed-point photography is simple and easy. You need a camera, a record
sheet, a fixed point and a sense of direction. Digital cameras work well, but
information can be lost. Print the photos you take and store them in a safe
place along with the fixed-point photography record sheet (Form C). Find a
suitable spot (sometimes one is not enough) at the erosion site. Mark the site
on a map and/or with a GPS. In addition, plant a steel post on the spot from
where you will be taking photos in each of the four main compass directions.
Camera
Base-plate welded
to the pole. For
downward-sloping
areas, tilt the camera
slightly forward.
Data
sheet
Base-plate
from above
with the four
directions
clearly
marked
Pin fixes
direction
Fixed or removable
pole of consistent
height
Notched sleeve
pipe concreted into
the ground
Above Fixed-point photography is easy to set up and provides valuable information.
70
Steel cable with 20 cm
interval markers
Tape measure
Gully
Steel pegs concreted into the soil
Above Monitor the success of rehabilitation efforts by measuring the gully profile.
Tip
How often should you monitor rehabilitation sites?
Ideally, you should monitor the sites where you have erected corrective structures
after every rain event that results in surface water flow.
5
Site marker
environment
(iii) Gully profile measurement
This monitoring action measures a cross-section of the gully profile and should
tell you if your “treatment of the symptom” is working. How does it work?
■ Plant two pegs on either side of a gully perpendicular to the flow of the water. Mark one peg clearly with the monitoring site number.
■ Make sure the fixed pegs themselves will not be eroded.
■ Suspend and tension a cable between the pegs over the gully.
■ Mark the cable at 20 cm intervals. Make sure the markers are fixed properly and that they will not shift.
■ After rain events that result in surface water flow, take vertical measurements at each marker and keep a record of these for comparison with previous measurements.
The above implies that you need a management plan for the rehabilitation of
eroded areas, which forms part of the Environmental Management Plan for
the farm (see 1.2 Environmental Management Plan). This management plan
should detail the methods to be used for rehabilitation, which could include
gabions, head-cut pool systems and brush packing, among others.
(b) Erosion control
(i) Gabions for gullies
Gabions are rock-filled “baskets” that slow down the velocity of water
in gullies. As the water flows slowly through the openings in the gabion,
infiltration is improved and sediment is held back and settles on the upstream
side of the gabions. The fertile sediment is a perfect growth medium for plants
to establish themselves and begin the process of stabilising the gully floor and
sides. In time it is possible to retain enough soil and resultant vegetation, so
that the gully again becomes a fully functional ecosystem.
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Gabions can be constructed from a variety of materials. In the one below, old
fence material (wire netting) is used to make a large basket, which is then
filled with rocks.
A gabion channel is dug in the gully, lined with wire
mesh, neatly filled with stones and then the mesh is
tied over the stones to form a secure sausage
A single-basket stone gabion should be depressed in the centre to
concentrate the bulk of the overflow into the middle of the gully
The gabion is well keyed
into the sides and about
200 mm into the floor
A single-basket stone gabion must
be enclosed with wire netting to
keep the structure together
Flow direction
The gabion should be angled at
about 45° on the downstream side
to prevent the overflow from
undercutting the structure
A geotextile layer helps to trap silt
and can be placed on the upstream
side with an apron securely buried
Above Stone gabions are viable when stone is available and high water velocities are expected. Stones
are packed and enclosed in wire netting.
Tips
Building gabion structures ‑ important points
The following points are imperative when constructing single-basket stone gabions:
■ The gabion must be well recessed into the gully floor (200 mm) to prevent undercutting.
■ For the same reason, the gabion must be keyed (1 000 mm) into the gully sides.
■ The stones should be tightly packed and not simply thrown in.
■ The structure should be lower in the middle of the gully to concentrate the bulk
of the overflow there.
■ The downstream side of the structure should be angled at approximately 45°or have an apron of packed rock to break the erosive force of water.
■ The upstream side of the structure should be covered with brush or geotextiles to form a filter.
Other options for gully treatment include check dams made from gabion
baskets and brush. When constructing these structures, use the same principles
as for single-basket stone gabion structures, as explained in the box above.
Information
Prefabricated gabion baskets (and all the other materials) can be purchased
and installed by contractors. Some of these contractors can also provide training for your staff.
Working for Wetlands can be approached for help in constructing gabions, depending on whether
your area is a national priority or not. Visit http://wetlands.sanbi.org/wfwet for more information.
Order gabion baskets, woven mesh, geotextiles and more from www.gabionbaskets.co.za.
72
Depressed centre to concentrate the bulk of
the overflow in the middle of the channel
Baskets or brush are well
keyed into the sides and
recessed into the floor by
about 200 mm
Wire mesh divider
The wires are tied
firmly to all
posts
Compacted brush must be wired
firmly into place between the posts
environment
Prefabricated wire baskets can
be packed in place and then
filled with rocks
5
Geotextile layer fixed to the
upstream side with an apron
firmly set underground
Wooden fence posts, securely planted,
hold the structure in place
Stones packed against the
brush at a 45° angle to break
the erosive force of the overflow
Above Gabions can be made from compacted brush when brush is readily available after clearing alien
vegetation, but make sure that no seeds are present. Brush is tied down between poles. Prefabricated
gabion baskets can be purchased and filled with rock on site. The structure is built like an overlapping
brick wall.
Gabion structures often fail unless a holistic treatment plan is followed. This
means seeding and establishing a vegetation cover as soon as possible after
the construction of erosion control structures. The planting of vetiver grass
(Vetiveria zizanioides), native to India, should be considered. The grass is a
sod-forming perennial with a massive spongy root mass. It can tolerate a wide
range of soil, climatic and rainfall conditions, is fire resistant and can withstand
heavy grazing. The seeds are almost infertile and the plant does not spread by
means of stolons or rhizomes. Vetiver is propagated by root divisions or slips
that are planted like seedlings. Once you have established vetiver on the farm
you can do your own propagation.
contact
For vetiver plants, contact
[email protected]
or phytomed@surething.
co.za.
Flow direction
(ii) Head-cut pool system for head-cut erosion
Head-cut erosion is characterised by:
■ waterfalls or an abrupt change in the slope of a streambed
■ a fragile, cracked or crumbling lip of the falls
■ a bowl-shaped pool at the base of the falls (plunge pool)
■ undercutting
■ rapid upstream erosion during flood flows
■ drying, cracking and sloughing during the dry season.
The higher the falls, the more power is available for eroding soil substrates
at the base of the cut and the more difficult it is to repair the head-cut.
Turbulence at the base of the falls undercuts the headwall, which leads to
cracking and sloughing. Exposure to sun and air during no-flow periods
further destabilises the soil.
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5
Above Head-cut erosion.
Head-cuts can be stabilised with a variety of methods. The principle of the
double-pool system is most commonly used. In essence, the method must
slow down the speed of the water and allow for infiltration and sediment
build-up.
Rocks at the bottom of Pool 1 break
the erosive force and allow sediment
to settle and water to infiltrate
Pool 2 allows for
infiltration of overflow
from Pool 1
Stream flow
Pool 2
The last single layer of stones
diffuses any remaining force
Pool 1
Original head-cut (in red) is widened and the steep slope
changed to about a 45° angle. It is then tightly packed
with at least a double layer of stones. This prevents the
head-cut from moving further up the slope.
Above The original cut (in red) is widened to distribute the force of the run-off, the fall is smoothed,
and then the two structures are packed to form two pools. Silt is deposited in Pool 1 and Pool 2. Rocks
will keep the soil below them moist for longer, which means vegetation will be established faster.
(iii) Hollows, brush packing and brush fences for sheet erosion
When the topsoil is disturbed, its plant cover destroyed and its structure
broken, microorganism life decreases, water is readily drained and a crust
forms on top. This hampers the infiltration of water. As a result, seeds and
microorganisms wash or blow away. Soil erosion occurs when there is
insufficient cover to protect the soil’s surface from the impact of raindrops
or the shear stress of flowing water. Erosion worsens with increasing slope
angle, slope length and fragility of the soil. These conditions then increase the
impact of raindrop splash, wind and stormwater run-off. Soil loss in the form of
sheet flow is the beginning of rills (i.e. narrow and shallow incisions into topsoil
layers, resulting from erosion by overland flow or surface run-off) and deeper
gullies. To combat this, the soil’s structure and water retention ability must be
improved. Simultaneously, the further loss of soil, seed and organic material
must be halted. This can be accomplished with handmade hollows, brush or
mulch packing and brush fences.
74
These hollows collect rain- and run-off water and allow the water to infiltrate.
They slow down the erosive force of water and in effect create a microclimate
suitable for plant establishment.
Upper reaches or small patches
can be tightly packed with brush
cut in approximately 30 cm pieces
Soil removed
from inside the
hollow is packed
as a berm on the
downhill side
Once vegetation is
established, fences
can be removed
Brush strips are packed
against low fences
across eroded areas
Water collected in
the hollows infiltrates
slowly. These hollows
provide place for seed
establishment.
Handmade hollows should be
made on larger eroded areas
Above The control of sheet erosion with hand-made hollows, brush or mulch packing and brush fences.
Brush or mulch packing is done by covering about 75% of the soil surface
with organic plant material. Branches, leaf cuttings, straw and woodchips
(from cleared alien vegetation) will:
■ conserve soil moisture
■ decrease soil temperature and enhance the microclimate
■ restrict soil run-off
■ trap windblown sand/soil and seeds
■ contribute to the organic components of soil.
5
Flow
direction
environment
Hollows (600 x 500 mm) can be dug with a pick or shovel. The excavated
soil is piled up to form a berm on the down-slope side of the hollow. Place the
hollows approximately 2 m apart in rows 1 m from each other.
Do not pack the layer thicker than 200 mm. Make sure the pieces are small
enough to lie flat on the ground.
Brush fences are used in combination with the above methods. Low
temporary fences (300 mm high) are constructed along the contour across
sloping sites. They work much like miniature gabions by trapping silt and
organic material, thus creating a habitat for the germination of seeds.
Remember to exclude livestock from such an area.
2.3.3 Road management
Poor road construction and management are among the leading causes of
erosion. All roads, including tracks, must be designed to have the minimum
impact on the environment and be visually unobtrusive. Generally, if your farm
road is narrower than 4 m, you do not require authorisation. It is advisable,
however, to contact your local EAP before constructing a new road. Any new
recreational 4x4 route requires authorisation.
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environment
5
Above If run-off on hardened road surfaces is not managed by means of erosion prevention strategies
and structures, severe erosion could be the result.
View from the top
Drainage hump
is angled across
the road
A cross-section of a hump.
It consists of a solid core of
stone packed in a trench and
compacted aggregate above.
Slope
direction
Solid stone core
To prevent erosion where water is diverted from the road, a log-and-brush drain
can be packed. The water velocity is reduced effectively, thus allowing infiltration.
A layer of stones prevents run-off from
undercutting the drain
Wooden or steel pegs
on the down-slope side of
the logs keep them in place
Brush is packed between the
logs at a depth of about 200 mm
Thicker logs on the
outside are partly buried
Above Road humps are relatively easy to make and maintain. Doing it right the first time will save you
money and headaches later.
The possibility of erosion must not only be minimised, but preferably
eliminated altogether. When building new roads, steep slopes should
be avoided and where that is not possible, construction design should
incorporate appropriate structures to prevent erosion.
Roads should be designed in such a way as to avoid wetlands and vulnerable
or threatened vegetation.
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environment
5
Above Road closure is important when you are planning the rehabilitation of an unused road.
2.3.4 Management of overgrazed areas
Rooibos producers should rehabilitate overgrazed veld by:
■ withdrawing animals to allow the veld to recover – this could mean
fencing off the area temporarily if you do not already have a camp
system in place
■ grazing with different animals (sheep consume and trample less
than cattle)
■ implementing rotational grazing
■ reducing the stocking rate.
2.3.5 Management of cultivated Rooibos fields
Roads should be maintained to prevent environmental degradation and soil
erosion. Old and unused roads can be rehabilitated with brush packing and
low fences, as described above in 2.3.2 (b) Erosion control. Place the fencing
at right angles to the slope of the road. When rehabilitating a road, make sure
you block the entrance to prevent accidental usage. Do not bulldoze the road
because it will increase the risk of erosion.
Soil health is an important factor when it comes to ensuring healthy Rooibos
fields. The main components of managing cultivated Rooibos fields refer to
protection against erosion and nutrient loss.
Rooibos fields must be protected against excessive water erosion by
cultivating in such a way that the speed of run-off water is restricted. Till and
plant along the contours where possible and leave strips of natural vegetation
to slow the speed of run-off water and allow the water to infiltrate. Establish
soil conservation works to divert run-off water from roads (as discussed in
2.3.3 Road management).
Rooibos fields must also be protected against excessive wind erosion,
especially when plants are at the seedling stage. This can be done by:
■ cultivating in such a manner (see 5.2 Field preparation and soil cover) so as to restrict the surface movement of soil particles as a result
of wind
■ not tilling fields during periods of high winds
■ tilling only when the soil is moist
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environment
5
■
■
■
leaving crop residues in the field, or adding on-farm or locally available organic material such as straw or wood chips
leaving 10 m wide strips of natural vegetation at right angles to the prevailing wind where possible, or establishing a suitable windbreak with suitable indigenous vegetation
using a crop rotation system that prevents land from lying fallow (generally this would be six years of Rooibos and two years of oats, then
back to Rooibos).
Above Fields that have been left fallow for more than one planting season. The prevailing wind has
moved the bare soil from the fields on the right into the adjacent natural vegetation on the left.
information
Natural vegetation and Rooibos
When Rooibos fields are in close proximity to natural vegetation or there are substantial strips of
natural vegetation (such as windbreaks) within Rooibos fields, three things happen:
1.Wind speed in the fields is decreased by up to two orders of magnitude.
2. Bee and wasp abundance increases by up to 40% in the Rooibos fields.
3.Floral diversity in the fields is much higher.
Why is this important? Because Rooibos pollination depends on flying pollinators and some wasps
are pest predators.
Above Strips of natural vegetation between Rooibos fields prevent excessive wind erosion.
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5
In addition to the above practices, it is necessary to do the following:
■ Monitor and treat soil compaction.
■ Implement techniques that allow for the build-up of organic matter in the
topsoil and improve soil structure and fertility, e.g. conservation tillage.
■ Reduce the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers where possible.
Preference should be given to organic nitrogen fertilisers that contain
a carbon source, such as compost, legumes, and animal and green
manures. Have your composted manures tested. They should have a
ratio of organic matter to nitrogen of between 20–25:1. When soil
samples indicate that additional N, P, K or other nutrients are needed,
choose a fertiliser with the correct organic matter to nitrogen ratio
(whether commercial or on-farm compost, crop residue, green manure
or animal manures – be careful of the latter as they must be composted
and analysed). Too little N means the organic material will not break
down and yield humus/SOM, and too much N means that all the carbon
will be consumed and the soil will end up with less SOM. As mentioned
above, a good ratio of organic matter:N is 20–25:1. Avoid using anything
in the range of 10–15:1. See also 3.1 Fertilisation.
■ Withdraw from cultivation (during the next planting cycle) fields or
sections of fields where the soil has been severely degraded or are of low
potential, usually indicated by a low vegetation cover, including Rooibos.
Above Rooibos fields with low potential such as this one should not be cultivated and rather be
rehabilitated.
Managing erosion and monitoring the status of the soils in Rooibos fields must
be part of and specified in the farm management plan.
The farm management plan must also include a soil map of the farm indicating
the soil types, structure and fertility (see 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity
information on your farm).
79
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5
Extensive areas of natural vegetation on your Rooibos farm, whether in
the form of surrounding vegetation or “strips”, have direct benefits for the
Rooibos crop. They provide wind protection and a habitat for pollinators
needed for good pollination and proper Rooibos seedset. Ideally, natural
vegetation should be linked with or be part of a “corridor” so that you and
your neighbours form part of a living farming landscape.
information
What is a biodiversity corridor?
A biodiversity or ecological corridor is a strip of natural vegetation that connects fragments of
natural habitat in a disturbed landscape. The aim of such a corridor is to:
■ facilitate gene flow between populations of connected (or reconnected) habitats
■ improve the survival potential of populations and species
■ act as natural windrows to prevent erosion
■ ensure the maintenance of ecological processes and services (e.g. clean water, nutrient cycling and pollination) of an area, and
■ mitigate climate change (carbon sequestration).
Corridors should allow the periodic migration of species between different types of habitat
for breeding, birthing, feeding, roosting, etc., as well as the distribution of seed. Secondly,
they should provide routes for migration if species are threatened with extinction in a specific
landscape patch. Thus, ideally, corridors should be both horizontal (along contours) and vertical
(up and down a slope).
When new Rooibos fields are developed, you must link areas of natural habitat
through cultivated fields by retaining corridors of natural habitat. The larger
these corridors, the better. Ideally, corridors of connected continuous natural
vegetation should be at least 100 m wide.
Below left Although
a corridor of natural
vegetation exists in the
drainage line between these
fields, it is not wide enough
for decent ecological
functioning. Riparian zones
of small rivers or seasonal
streams are excellent
corridors.
Below right This corridor
along a drainage line
functions well ecologically,
protects the water and
allows movement of animals,
including beneficial insects.
information
Insects and “islands”
Many organisms may not be able to survive on “islands” created by fragmenting the landscape,
depending on the size of the island and the organism’s ecological requirements. They may
also not be able to cross bare areas between islands. For instance, many insects cannot and
sometimes will not move across landscapes that do not provide protection or food. It was found
that Rooibos fields of more than 1 000 m across had almost half the number and type of insects
of smaller fields. Corridors act as routes and, if wide enough, habitat for beneficial insects,
including pollinators and pest predators.
It is important to connect fragments and create this network of natural
vegetation across the farm and onto adjoining neighbouring properties by
rehabilitating corridors between them. Collaborate with your neighbour
to form these healthy farming landscapes. This might mean discontinuing
cultivation of parts of existing Rooibos plantations so that natural vegetation
can be re-established over time.
environment
Where Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), as identified on the farm maps,
have already been transformed or degraded, they must be rehabilitated to at
least restore ecological functioning (refer to 2.3 Soil health for information
on rehabilitation). These CBAs function as nodes (areas of high conservation
value) that should be connected to each other by means of adequate
corridors to form a landscape network with suitable habitat and good
ecological functioning.
5
Above The picture shows how protecting a river system and its buffers, combined with some well-placed
rehabilitation, can ensure connectivity across the landscape.
Where strip farming occurs, 3 m strips are not wide enough because the edge
effect causes the disintegration of the strips. Depending on the prevailing
wind and moisture conditions, you should leave or rehabilitate natural strips of
10 to 20 m wide while cleared areas should be no wider than 30 m.
information
What is an edge effect?
A narrow corridor or a small natural fragment has a large edge-to-interior ratio. Edges of natural
areas are subject to disturbance from adjacent cultivated areas (fertilisation, pesticides, physical
disturbance and wind) and if not checked, an edge can creep inward and the entire corridor will
be lost. Edges in this instance usually display less biodiversity and already have lower ecological
functioning. Thus, the wider a natural strip, the better it will function.
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Above Workers wearing protective clothing, spraying alien vegetation.
Invasive alien plants (IAP) are a major threat to the environment and
agricultural resources, especially water. They also displace habitat for
indigenous and agricultural plants and animals. There are alien invasive
plants on almost every farm and it is every landowner’s duty, and that of the
government, to combat them.
IAP control plan
All invasive alien plants are listed in the Conservation of Agricultural Resources
Act (CARA – Act 43 of 1983) regulations as Category 1, 2 or 3 plants. Category 1
plants must be removed, Category 2 plants may not occur except in a demarcated area that is also registered and authorised, and Category 3 plants
may not occur within 30 m of the 1:50-year flood line of natural water resources.
download
Don’t guess, get the right information
You can download two detailed alien clearing manuals from the documents library under
the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za. Both manuals provide detailed information
on invasive plant species and tried and tested methods for their control. They are:
■ Nature Conservation Corporation’s Invasive Alien Vegetation Management Manual, and
■ CapeNature’s Alien Plant Control: An Operational Guide for Land Managers.
The regulations and list of species can be downloaded from the documents library under
the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
As with everything else, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. You need
to have a management plan that allows you to identify and quantify invasive
alien plants, divide them into manageable blocks, prioritise actions and
monitor progress.
82
Then draft a table or spreadsheet (as in the example below) containing the
block numbers and sizes, which species occur there and the density of the
infestation. Also insert columns to indicate when you plan to start clearing
work and keep track of the dates and methods of control work done. Your
aim should be to reduce the alien plant infestation to 5% or less, as this is
considered a manageable density.
5
Above Example of a map of invasive alien plants divided into management blocks and showing block
numbers.
environment
Start by mapping the IAPs. Professional maps are not necessary, but if you
want to go the extra mile, consult section 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity
information on your farm for methods to make maps using the BGIS website.
Divide the maps into manageable blocks and number the blocks as in the
picture below.
download You can download the Invasive alien plant control sheet from
the library under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
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5
important
Important points when clearing invasive alien plants
1. Prioritise and clear areas of low infestation and upstream areas in water courses first.
2.Follow-up will have to continue for years to come! Prepare for this and don’t waste the time, money and effort you spent in previous years by not doing follow-up clearing.
3.Always prioritise follow-up work if resources are limited. Do not allow seedlings or coppices to grow so big that cutting is required again. Do stem or foliar applications.
4.Certification requires that you work according to a map and a plan, and keep a record of control actions.
5.If cutting is required, cut the stems as close to the ground as possible, leaving no side shoots. If not possible, the side shoots must also be cut and treated with herbicide.
6.Apply herbicide to any “wounds” in the bark of the remaining stumps.
7.If the stem diameter exceeds 100 mm, apply herbicide to the outer rim (+50 mm) of the stump only. This is where the cambium occurs that carries the poison to the roots.
8.Always use dye in the herbicide mix to prevent stumps from being treated more than once or not at all.
9. Apply herbicide as soon as possible after cutting, never more than 30 minutes later.
10.Mix the right amount of herbicide for the day’s work. Leftover mixture breaks down and cannot be used the next day.
11.Where trees are not going to form an obstruction or block a watercourse, or where trees are too large to be removed, consider doing a stem application or frilling without cutting down the trees. It is cheaper and quicker.
12. In dense stands, stack the cut material in windrows to allow easier access for follow-up work. The rows can be burnt at a later stage.
13.Use the correct herbicide registered for the species. Treat all Eucalyptus species with a 12% Imazapyr mixture when doing cut-stump treatment.
download Consult Herbicide Registrations for Alien Weed Control,
downloadable from the documents library under the Right Rooibos tab at
Rooibos producers who have introduced wildlife on their property must
have permits for these animals, either a Wild Animal Captivity Permit or a
Certificate of Adequate Enclosure.
Producers can hunt res nullius game (wildlife that is nobody’s property but is
under state protection) only with permits from CapeNature or the Department
of Environment and Nature Conservation (DENC) or within the specifications
of the annual provincial Hunting Proclamations.
contact
Permit applications and hunting proclamations
In the Northern Cape, speak to the DENC’s Calvinia office: 027 341 8360.
In the Western Cape, speak to the CapeNature representative: 022 931 2900.
download
You can also download the permit application forms from the
CapeNature website at www.CapeNature.org.za. Look under the “Permits” tab and then
select “Fauna”. The CapeNature proclamation and the 2011 Hunting Notice Western
Cape can be downloaded from www.CapeNature.org.za.
84
2.6.1 Management of damage-causing animals
information
Managing human-wildlife conflict
Two useful publications that can help you with the management of human-wildlife conflict are:
■ Predators on livestock farms (2008), compiled by Bool Smuts. Search for it at
www.landmarkfoundation.org.za.
■ Best management practices: Human-wildlife conflict prevention and management (2007), compiled by Hannes Stadler. Available from CapeNature.
Remember that an electrified fence only works if the electricity is running, so
you need to maintain it properly. A device called a “jakkalsjaer” repels animals
like jackal with flashing lights, a siren, unpredictable noise and even a radio
station with people talking. The different models operate from a 12 V battery
with solar panels, and the range is about one kilometre.
It is important to understand that there is no quick fix when it comes to
controlling damage-causing animals. You need to combine various methods
and alternate them to prevent animals from getting used to one.
5
Damage-causing animals include not only the large animals of the cat and dog
families that we all immediately think of, but also rodents. Managing humanwildlife conflict has received a lot of attention in many publications. In short,
producers must employ preventative measures like fences, electrification,
noise and repellents to keep damage-causing animals from damaging
livestock and crops rather than killing these animals. Producers that keep
livestock can also consider the age-old approach of shepherding, with or
without Anatolian or other shepherd dogs.
environment
Producers should remove extralimital species and replace them with locally
occurring species. “Extralimital” refers to species indigenous to South Africa
but not originally occurring in the area. For example, if your farm is on Table
Mountain and you happen to have giraffe, they would be considered as
extralimital. Because research changes legislation, you need to confirm the
status of wildlife on your property with CapeNature.
contact For a “jakkalsjaer”, call André Theron: 083 338 2025, or call
02062 and ask for 1604.
Rodents can cause considerable damage to new Rooibos plants. The use
of poison has a negative ecological knock-on effect since other predators
ingesting the dead rodents might end up dead too. A better option is to use
owls, especially barn owls.
During a breeding season, the average barn owl family unit (2 adults and
5 young) consumes between 2 800 and 3 000 rodents. They are not very
territorial and if the food supply is abundant, they will easily move into areas
occupied by other family units. Owl boxes are an inexpensive method to
attract owls into an area where rodents are a problem but there is a lack of
nesting sites.
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Untreated pine
environment
5
U-bolts
Ventilation holes
Base plate
Drainage holes
Above A basic barn owl box is easy to make or cheap to purchase. The chemicals in treated wood can
harm the owls, so use untreated pine and seal with a lead-free wood sealer on the outside only. Mount
it on a pole on top of a base plate or with U-bolts from the back.
information
To make your own owl boxes
Detailed plans and installation instructions for an owl box can be downloaded friom the library under
If you don’t want to make your own
For custom-made owl boxes, contact Gerry Cassidy:
Tel: 028 316 3412
Place your owl boxes on poles at least 4 m off the ground near the food
source you want them to target. It is advisable not to place them too close
to roads or where there is a lot of human activity. That said, boxes mounted
against a barn or a house will also be occupied if the food is there. Do not
place the opening facing into the prevailing wind and add some pine needles
to the box for nesting material.
2.6.2 Invasive animals
Producers must control the following invasive species:
■ alien invasive fish in natural water bodies (including large and smallmouth bass, trout, carp and grass carp)
■ mallard ducks
■ feral pigs, dogs and cats.
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Fire is a primary driving force in the Fynbos biome in that it provides
opportunities for Fynbos seeds to germinate. When the seedlings mature, they
in turn produce seeds that lie dormant in anticipation of the next fire. Fire is
also vital for regeneration in the nutrient-poor soils of this biome because it
returns nutrients to the soil from burnt plants and animals.
information
Fynbos and fire
Fynbos is a fire-driven ecosystem. Not burning at the correct intervals may lead to a loss of species
and biodiversity. Generally Fynbos fires must occur at 12–15-year intervals. Consult the local Fire
Protection Association (FPA) about conducting the necessary controlled burns.
The Greater Cederberg
Fire Protection Association (GCFPA) was
registered in 2005 and
covers the area from
Malmesbury in the
south to Nardouwsberg
in the north, the
coastline in the west
and Wuppertal in
the east. All Rooibos
producers should join
the GCFPA, or form
their own FPA if outside
this area.
5
Wildfires are a reason for concern when they burn out of control and cause
damage to social, economic and environmental assets in the region. In recent
years, these uncontrolled fires have often forced farmers to sell their land
due to civil and insurance claims not being paid out because landowners had
not complied with the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998. The Act
places certain responsibilities on landowners, such as the establishment of
firebreaks on property boundaries; having efficient, trained personnel and
equipment available to prevent a fire from spreading across boundaries,
and other duties, such as readiness to combat wildfires. The Act also makes
provision for the establishment of an FPA.
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2.7 Fire management
Left The Greater Cederberg Fire
Protection Association covers
a vast area. It is advisable that
Rooibos producers join this or
another registered FPA.
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contact
Need more
information
about the
GCFPA?
Contact Charl du Plessis
24 Wes Street,
Porterville 6820
Cell: 079 172 4340
Fax: 086 608 8304
E-mail: charldu1@
gmail.com
Some advantages for GCFPA members include:
■ In a court case resulting from fire damage, members are not presumed negligent as long as they had implemented the FPA plans, and the plaintiff has to prove negligence at his or her own cost. If you are not a member, you are considered having been negligent and have to prove your own non-negligence.
■ A fire management plan will be compiled by experts. This plan will help members to reduce risk and comply with the Act. It can ensure that
insurance requirements are met.
■ Members are more organised and co-ordinated during fire-fighting operations.
■ A trained and equipped team (22 members) is available at a minimum tariff (below minimum wage tariffs) to assist in fire prevention (preparing fire breaks, carrying out controlled burns and fuel reduction operations like clearing alien invasive species) and fire-fighting operations.
■ Regular communication improves awareness levels that will decrease accidental wildfires.
■ Various training and capacity-building opportunities are provided for members and their staff.
■ Assistance for members regarding the process of applying for exemption to move fire breaks away from property boundaries.
■ Institutions like RSA Agri, Agri Western Cape and insurance companies support and in some cases require active participation in FPAs.
■ HACCP, GLOBALGAP, IPW and Utz certified accreditation requires
membership (membership certificates are available on request).
Cost of joining the GCFPA
Joining fee (one-off)
Annual fee depending on
the size of the property
R300
51 ha and less
R300
51–500 ha
R500
500–2 025 ha
R850
More than 2 025 ha
R0,42 per ha
3. Integrated crop
Management
3.1 Fertilisation
3.1.1 Fertiliser programme
Any fertiliser programme and soil/leaf samples must be documented. Records
should be kept for at least five years to ensure that fertilisers are applied
judiciously. The amount applied should not exceed the needs of the crop
and the storage capacity of the soil. This record keeping includes a Fertiliser
Application Instruction record sheet and a Fertiliser Application History
record sheet.
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You must be able to provide evidence that you have considered the nutritional
needs of the crop and soil fertility. Records of your soil-sampling analyses and
data (see below) must be kept with the Fertiliser Application History record
(see above) and will suffice as proof.
A fertilisation programme should include the following:
1. An up-to-date and complete inventory for each of the fertilisers used
and/or stored on the farm. For all inorganic fertilisers, the list should also
mention the brand names and the nutrient ingredients, including safety
warnings.
Integrated crop Management
You can download
the Fertiliser
Application
Instruction sheet
and the Fertiliser
Product Field
History sheet
from the library
under the Right
Rooibos tab at
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download
5
download
You can download
the Fertiliser Store
Inventory from the
library under the
2.The application of all fertilisers and manure must be timed to maximise
the efficiency and/or uptake by target crops, i.e. in spring and autumn.
3.The most efficient method of application must be followed as per the
manufacturer’s instructions.
4.Fertiliser application equipment should be correctly calibrated, at least
once a year, to prevent overfertilisation. Keep a record of calibrations and
put a sticker on the application equipment stating the date of the
calibration and who carried it out. Use a permanent black marker to write
down the information on the sticker.
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5.Fertiliser must be applied in a manner that reduces the risk of
contaminating streams and water resources. Do not use fertilisers within
32 m of any water resource.
6.Clear instructions must be given to the people who will be applying the
fertiliser.
3.1.2 Storage
Inorganic and organic fertilisers must be stored separately from harvested tea,
tools, packaging material, crop protection products and food products.
The building in which inorganic and organic fertilisers (except compost and
mulch) are stored must be:
■ clean, dry and well ventilated
■ covered and protected against sunlight, rain and frost
■ clearly marked with permanent, understandable and visible warning signs.
Fertiliser must be stored in a manner that reduces the risk of contamination
of streams and water resources. For organic manure, the direct distance to
water resources must be at least 25 m. For inorganic liquid fertilisers, a spillage
retention system to contain leaking liquid fertiliser must be used. Use the same
principle as for fuel storage, i.e. store the tank off the ground with bunding
that can contain 1,2 times the contents of the tank.
3.1.3 Organic fertilisers
The best practice tendency is to follow an organic approach to fertilisation
by favouring organic fertilisers and minimising the application of inorganic
fertilisers.
To minimise health risks and the attraction of pests, animal manure and other
organic materials that are used as fertiliser must be properly composted prior
to use.
Human sewage must not be used for fertilisation.
contact
These two companies supply certified organic fertilisers in the Western Cape:
Neutrog
Tel: 0860 110 110
Website: www.neutrog.co.za
Talborne Western Cape, Paarl
Tel: 021 870 1159
Website: www.talborne.co.za
3.1.4 Soil sampling
Fertilisation cannot be done correctly if you do not know what the soil needs
to make Rooibos or other crops grow. It is necessary to collect soil samples,
have them analysed and base fertiliser application on the results. However, it
is vital to collect the samples correctly to make sure they accurately represent
the soil situation, otherwise the recommendation will be incorrect. Follow
these steps:
1. Record the name or number of the field or area you are sampling, e.g. K12 Zone B; this needs to be written on the sample bag.
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Twist to drill
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2. Homogeneous soil areas of 50 ha at the most must be identified for each
sample, i.e. soil of the same type, with the same moisture conditions, on
the same slope and under the same crop.
3. It is important to sample on a per-field basis. The field is your economic
unit and fields may differ significantly from one another.
4. To sample, scrape away the top layer of litter or organic material with a
small spade or trowel. If you do want to know what the litter layer
contains, bag it separately but do not include it in the mineral soil
fraction. A soil auger or a spade can be used to collect samples. If you do
not have an auger, dig a hole with a straight vertical side, then “slice” off
and collect a piece of 1 cm wide from the vertical side of the hole. Sample
a slice or tube from just below the litter layer to 20 cm down (into the
topsoil) when testing for planting oats, and 30 cm down when testing for
planting Rooibos. It does not matter too much which depth you choose,
but you must stay consistent between fields and years.
5. Collect at least 10–20 samples of equal weight or size distributed evenly across the homogeneous area, such as a field. If the field’s soil is
not homogeneous, you need to divide it into zones where it is
homogeneous and sample each zone. (Use your common sense: if you see distinct small areas within the sample area that are different, e.g. quartz patches, saline areas or areas where livestock congregate around water troughs, rather sample and label these separately. Also, do not include in your sample any soil within 10 m of the edge of the field or
from a road, as you will be sampling “edge effects”such as clay material
blown in from the road or fertiliser input from an adjacent field.) Gather
the 10–20 samples in a plastic bucket and mix thoroughly. Collect a 1 kg
sample from the mix.
Steel tubing for
shaft and handle
U-frame welded to
shaft and drill tube
Soil clods
Drill tube with flanged
and sharpened edges
Above Augers come in various shapes and sizes. While drilling, the auger either lifts the soil to the top
or cuts a sod tube from the soil.
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Litter layer
Humic layer –
decomposed
plant material
Right Digging for soil
samples to investigate
the soil profile.
Below A soil sample in
a labelled bag.
Humus mixed with
soil and minerals
Soil and minerals
with little humus
Bedrock
6. Make your life easier by labelling the bag in which you will be placing the
sample with a permanent black marker before starting. This will save you
the time and bother of standing sweating in the field.
7. Get the soil sample to the lab as soon as possible and keep it in the fridge until you do. Do not let the soil “sweat” in the plastic bag: heat and
moisture will activate microorganisms that will consume nutrients in the
soil and change your results.
8. Don’t worry about removing small stones or small animals/roots from the
samples, the lab will use a 2 mm sieve to “clean” your soils. Picking
through the soil yourself will be inefficient and just waste your time.
Make sure that 20 samples can be taken and that
you do not collect them on the edges of a field
20 samples of equal size
Mix together
and remove
large stones
and vegetation
Select
1 kg for
analysis
Collect one
sample from
each block
Field
boundary
Place an imaginary grid over
a field that has the same soils,
vegetation and slope. Fields
A and B should be sampled
separately.
Cross-section
through fields
Windrows
Above Systematic sampling of soil in homogeneous areas.
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Rooibos
contact
If the analysis of your soil samples indicates the necessity to fertilise, it is
imperative that you as the Rooibos producer, or an external adviser who will
be choosing the fertilisers, must be competent in estimating the quantity,
time of application and type of fertiliser (organic and inorganic). An adviser
must be in possession of an AVCASA (Association of Veterinary and Crop
Associations of South Africa) certificate.
information
Micro- and macronutrients for Rooibos
Being a Fynbos plant that grows in similar soils to proteas, Rooibos has adapted to survive in
nutrient-poor soils. Specifically, Rooibos has nitrogen-fixing nodules as well as cluster roots, which
are special roots that extract very poorly available forms of nutrients (mainly phosphate and iron)
from the soil. Rooibos is also mycorrhizal, which means its roots are a symbiosis between a root
fungus and the root itself. This also makes poorly available N, P and micronutrients available to
the plant. All this means that Rooibos, like proteas, are sensitive to excessive phosphate in the soil,
which may lead to phosphate toxicity because the plants, like children in a candy shop, seem unable
to stop taking up more.
5
Elsenburg: Tel: 021 808 5286 or 021 808 5296
Website: www.elsenburg.com/trd/plantprod/lab/swfsoil.html
Nitrophoska: Tel: 022 482 3226
Bemlab: Tel: 021 851 6401
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9.Take samples at least 2–3 months before planting so that there is
enough time to correct the soil pH and fertilise if necessary.
10.Be aware that agricultural fields that had previously been used for
non-indigenous crops may have N and P levels that are too high for
Rooibos cultivation. There are various options to ameliorate this, such as
deep ploughing or sowing cover crops of oats for a few seasons and
removing the biomass until the levels decrease, or you can simply use
this area for something else.
11. Samples can be sent to Elsenburg, Nitrophoska or Bemlab for analysis.
Typical concentrations of macronutrients in Western Cape soils are:
■ total nitrogen (N): 100–300 mg/kg
■ Phosphate (P): 1–4 mg/kg
■ Potassium (K): 30 mg/kg
These quantities provide a rough guideline for suitable soil nutrient levels for Rooibos.
3.2 Crop protection
3.2.1 Integrated pest management
In this section we address the control of insect pests and weeds, as well as
the use of crop protection products. Insect pests are of increasing concern
to Rooibos growers, while weeds are less of a concern for some farmers.
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There are two important aspects to integrated pest management (IPM). First,
it is important to understand not only insect pests, but also pest predators
and other beneficial insects. You must be able to identify these insects in the
various stages of their life cycles and when these occur. This will help you to
make informed decisions about whether to use pesticide and how and when
to do so, or whether you can opt for options that are less damaging to the
environment, such as sticky traps, natural vegetation and, although not yet
developed for Rooibos, natural enemies. Secondly, it is important to integrate
pest management into your daily routine. This means you should examine
fields as often as possible to start noticing patterns or warning signs. This will
allow you to take action as soon as possible and, in doing so, save you money
and reduce unnecessary poisoning of the environment.
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information
A ‘must have’ guide
The definitive guide on Rooibos insect pests is Insects on Rooibos by Justin Hatting.
The booklet describes the major Rooibos pests in detail, including:
■ how to identify them in all their life stages
■ when the various stages occur
■ how to check for their presence
■ what their natural enemies are
■ broad guidelines on the economic threshold values for control
■ which type of pest control chemicals to use.
Copies of this booklet are available free of charge from:
Gerhard Pretorius
Tel: 022 482 1500
Cell: 082 450 2571
The purpose of IPM is to reduce the amount of chemicals used on Rooibos.
To achieve this, you need to explore non-chemical alternatives for protecting
crops. IPM activities include prevention, reduction, monitoring and intervention
to reduce pest attacks. Although there are no formal IPM guidelines for
Rooibos as yet, you must use these activities in various combinations.
For example, you must have strict monitoring programmes in place and
use trained observers during the periods when pests are likely to occur,
and document these observations. Use the broad guidelines on economic
thresholds from the booklet mentioned above to decide if and when to spray,
but also monitor the presence of pest enemies. If the pests do not reach the
threshold, you may not have to spray.
download
Templates of recordkeeping forms for
pest control can be
downloaded from
the library under the
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If you must spray (for pests, weeds and disease), the following considerations
are vital:
■ Use crop protection products with the least chemical toxicity for people,
flora and fauna. This can be determined by consulting databases on the
toxicity of chemicals to mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
information
Detailed information on the chemical toxicity of pesticides and herbicides
can be found at www.pesticideinfo.org.
Once you have chosen the appropriate crop protection product, use the
appropriate minimum dosage as indicated on the label.
To avoid spray drift to natural areas, do not spray when the wind is
blowing strongly.
To avoid killing bees and other pollinators, do not spray when the Rooibos
is flowering. If this cannot be avoided, spraying should be done in the
early morning and late afternoon when bees are not active.
Use the pesticide that is least hazardous to bees but that will control the
pest involved. If all recommended pesticides are equally hazardous to
bees, the one with the shortest residual effect should be used.
■
■
■
■
Record keeping is a vital part of IPM, so ensure that you keep detailed records,
as mentioned above.
3.2.2 Choice and use of pesticides
You may use only pest control products that have been registered for the
intended crop under South African law.
Do not use or store any of the following:
■ agrochemicals or biological or organic substances that are not registered
in South Africa
■ substances not approved in the EU, USA (EPA) or Japan
■ substances classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as
category Ia or Ib
■ substances classified by the WHO as category II, unless you can prove
that there is no technically or economically viable alternative
■ substances identified as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the
Stockholm agreement
■ substances included in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention (UNEP’s
Prior Informed Consent (PIC) programme list)
■ substances on the Pesticide Action Network’s Dirty Dozen list.
5
Download
Downloadable information
and lists of these banned
products are available
in the library under the
As mentioned above, the producer or external adviser who chooses the
crop protection products must be able to demonstrate competency
and knowledge. Advisers or company representatives who make
recommendations must be in possession of an AVCASA certificate. Keep
copies of your advisers’ AVCASA certificates on file.
Consult the lists for Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of allowed crop protection
products for the markets where the tea will be sold (either domestic or
international) and ensure that pre-harvest intervals are observed. You must
provide evidence of residue testing. This can also be done by the buyer.
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Application instructions must be issued for every application of a crop
protection substance to ensure that the correct substances and quantities are
applied in the correct places, to explain the justification for the application,
and to ensure the safety of the people handling the substance. Here is an
example of application instructions:
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5
download
You can download the
Crop Protection Product
Application Instruction
sheet from library
under the Right
Rooibos tab at
The farm must keep records of applications for five years. Records for each
individual field should be kept separately. This will enable you to summarise
and analyse the information contained in the records to determine application
trends for specific crop protection products during the last five years. It will
also indicate how products are being applied to decrease application volumes
or changed to prevent pest resistance build-up.
download
Crop Protection Product
Field History sheet from
library under the Right
Rooibos tab at
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3.2.3 Application methods
All crop protection products must be prepared (and applied) according to the
instructions on the label. The areas for preparing chemicals must be equipped
to handle spills and other mishandling incidents effectively.
It is important to note that the Rooibos producer may not use crop protection
products within 32 m of any water resource. In addition, chemicals should
not be applied on the edges of Rooibos fields and a 5 m no-spray boundary
should be maintained (spot treatment can be done).
As mentioned before, clear application instructions must be in place for
persons dealing with crop protection products.
Herbicides must be applied selectively. Mechanical weed management is
recommended.
It is also advisable that ground equipment, which carries the least risk of
chemical drift, be used for spraying. However, in the case of aerial spraying,
the certificate holder must ensure:
■ that there are no workers in the field
■ that the necessary measures are taken to minimise the impact on natural
ecosystems (land and water)
■ that the need, risks and alternatives of aerial spraying are reassessed
every three years and that appropriate actions are taken.
3.2.4 Application equipment
tip
Training
Every person who
handles crop protection
products must have
received training to
do so, including safety
training.
Make all people on the farm aware of the concept of re-entry time, i.e. there
will be no access to the sprayed fields for a specified number of days. Visual
signs (e.g. warning signs, red flags) must be used to inform people of the reentry time. Documentation should demonstrate that re-entry intervals for crop
protection products have been monitored.
5
All crop protection product application equipment (including manual pumps)
must be in good condition, the correct nozzles must be attached and it must
be properly calibrated. Keep a record of calibration, including a sticker on the
equipment stating who did the calibration and when.
3.2.5 Worker safety
Workers handling agrochemicals must be declared medically fit to do so. This
can only be done by a General Practitioner with a postgraduate diploma in
Occupational Medicine. In addition, all these workers must undergo an annual
medical check-up (blood test to check for poisoning), preferably after the
application season.
All these medical records and records of exposure must be kept for 30 years.
3.2.6 Disposal of surplus mixtures
Apply any surplus crop protection product application mix or tank washings
to an untreated part of the crop or fallow land (away from water resources), as
long as the recommended dose is not exceeded, negative impacts to humans
and the environment are minimised and records are kept as if it were a normal
application.
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3.2.7 Storage
Your pesticide/herbicide store must comply with the following criteria:
■ Stores must be kept clean and dry.
■ Stores must be structurally secure with a sound roof and impermeable
floors and able to retain spillage, i.e. there should be a bunding wall of at
least 200 mm high.
■ Stores must be well ventilated and light enough so that product labels
Above Extractor fans ensure that the store is well ventilated. Note the non-absorbent metal shelving.
Clear signs indicate the intended use of the crop protection chemicals.
■
■
■
■
■
■
can be read with ease.
Stores must have shelves made of (or lined with) non-absorbent material
such as plastic, glass or metal.
Highly toxic Group 1 (red label) products must be stored and locked away
separately from other products.
Stores must be made of fire-resistant materials and preferably built or
located where they are not subject to temperature extremes.
Stores must be kept locked and should be accessible only to people
who can demonstrate formal training in the safe use and handling of crop
protection products.
Stores must be equipped with appropriate measuring equipment so
that handling and mixing can be done according to instructions.
Permanent and clear hazard warning signs must be affixed to or next to
the access doors.
Storing crop protection products must take the following into account:
■ The products must be clearly identified for the crop they are used for.
■ They should be stored in accordance with the instructions on the label and all relevant national legislation.
■ The products must be in the original containers/packaging (or suitable alternative packaging that contains all the information that was listed on the original label).
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■ Store the products separately from
tools, machinery,
packaging material and harvested Rooibos.
■ Products in a powder or granular form must always be stored above products in a liquid form.
5
Left A lockable door and
adequate warning signs are
prerequisites for a chemical store.
Secure and wellventilated windows
Group 1 chemicals in a
lockable cupboard
Inventory
Powders and granules
stored above liquids
Chemicals stored to
prevent them from
getting wet
Warning and
information signs
Cupboard at least
10 cm from the
wall to prevent
vapour build-up
Impermeable floor
Above Some important aspects about your chemical store. Group 1 (red label chemicals) must be
in a locked cabinet. Legislation requires that wooden pallets such as the ones on the right should be
covered with plastic.
Below Appropriate signs relating to the pesticides and agrochemicals you store must be affixed to
the building. They must be visible and readable from a distance of 20 m.
Ingestion could
lead to severe
illness and even
death
Non-corrosive
substance that
with repeated
contact
could lead to
inflammation
Can cause severe
burns on contact
Can catch fire at
body temperature
and release toxic
gases when in
contact with
water or moist air
Contaminates or
causes disease
that can lead to
severe illness and
even death
Explodes when
under flame or
friction
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3.2.8 Inventory and application records
There must be an up-to-date, documented and readily available inventory of
all the crop protection products that are stored and used on the farm. Invoices
(or any other documentary evidence) of crop protection products must be
kept and be available for inspection. The list must include an explanation
of pictograms, safety warnings, symptoms of intoxication and first aid
information for each product.
download
You can download the Crop Protection Product Inventory sheet from the library
under the Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
Above left Clear communication of emergency procedures. Above right Clean water.
3.2.9 Storeroom safety
There must be emergency facilities and procedures in place to deal with
spillage of crop protection products (i.e. sand or sawdust) and operator
contamination (i.e. clean water). The procedures and facilities must be in sight
and permanently available within 10 m of the storage facility. The procedure
must indicate the steps of basic accident care, and emergency telephone
numbers or radio contacts must be clearly displayed.
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Yellow Label
Blue Label
Green Label
Class 1a
Class 2 (II)
Class 3 (III)
Class 4 (IV)
Extremely hazardous
Moderately hazardous
Slightly hazardous
Less hazardous
Class 1b
U (unclassified)
Highly hazardous
Less hazardous
Most toxic pesticide.
Use all precautions.
Second most toxic
pesticide. Use
protective clothing
and equipment.
Use with caution and
use protection.
Keep locked away
and store away from
children, animals
and food.
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Red Label
5
Above The easiest way to understand the toxicity of a chemical is to look at its colour code. Those with
red labels are highly toxic and must be stored separately.
You must store, label and handle obsolete crop protection products properly
and securely. If available, an official collection and/or disposal system must be
used (contact your supplier for details). If these systems do not exist, obsolete
products should be sent back to the supplier and handled in a manner that
minimises exposure to humans, the environment and food products.
3.3 Food safety and hygiene
3.3.1 Procedures
It is best practice to document and implement a management plan that deals
with food safety.
Every Rooibos farm must have written procedures in place that describe how
the quality and hygiene of Rooibos are assured during:
■ harvesting
■ transportation
■ processing
■ storage.
3.2.10 Disposal of obsolete products
These procedures must include a schedule for the cleaning and maintenance
of machines, buildings, vehicles, protective clothing and equipment, reusable
containers, transportation bags, tools, equipment and handling areas. All
cleaning materials used must be approved by the food industry.
In addition, these procedures must also include the training of workers to prevent
contamination. Keep records to show that such training has occurred before
they are allowed to handle Rooibos. Smoking, eating and drinking areas must be
clearly designated and be separate from areas where Rooibos is handled.
3.3.2 Harvesting
Workers must be trained on personal hygiene and must be clean when
working with Rooibos products to prevent contamination. Toilet facilities and
clean water with soap must be available within reasonable distance of where
the harvesting takes place. Clean chemical toilets in fields are acceptable.
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Harvesting tools and equipment must be cleaned and well maintained
according to the cleaning schedule. In addition, workers must be trained in the
correct and safe use of harvesting tools.
Right The safe use of clean
tools for harvesting is
imperative. The bags used for
the transportation of Rooibos
must be cleaned according to
the cleaning schedule.
3.3.3 Transport
Vehicles and containers (bags) used for the transportation of harvested
Rooibos must be kept clean and dry and be maintained regularly. The cleaning
and transportation schedule should aim to prevent contamination, mould and
overfermentation.
3.3.4 Tea court
The Rooibos producer must conduct a product hygiene and food safety risk
assessment of all processing and storage facilities. This analysis must focus
on physical, chemical and microbiological contaminants. Based on the risk
assessment, the producer must make, implement and document an action
plan to promote product hygiene and food safety in all processing facilities.
The cleaning schedule should ensure that machines, vehicles, equipment and
the tea court itself are cleaned.
Toilet facilities and clean water with soap must be available within reasonable
distance of the stores and tea courts.
You must prevent contamination of Rooibos from animals, visitors and workers
walking on the tea court. There must be a shoe and boot sole cleaning and
disinfecting system in place for visitors and workers entering the tea court.
Only clean water can be used during the processing of Rooibos (e.g. during
fermentation).
Vehicles and machines used on the court must stay on the court and not be
used elsewhere during harvest season and may not have oil leaks. The safest
practice is to fit removable drip trays underneath the vehicles.
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Above left Workers wear clean and disinfected boots when on the tea court and only clean water is
used for the fermentation process.
Above right Drip trays such as this one prevent oil from contaminating Rooibos on the tea court.
5
Physical hazards in the harvested Rooibos (e.g. stones or metal, plastic or
glass pieces) must be controlled.
3.3.5 Storage
The producer must keep the processing and storage facilities and tea transfer
points clean, maintained and free of litter to prevent contamination.
Animal access to all production, processing and storage areas must be
prevented.
Proper moisture and hygiene management must be in place. Stores should
therefore be kept clean and dry at all times. Rooibos should be stored in
sealed bags on raised structures in a covered and lockable store. Packaging
material must also be clean and stored under clean and hygienic conditions.
Signs with hygiene instructions (such as hand washing after using toilets, no
smoking, no eating, etc.) should be visibly displayed in all facilities.
Insect and rodent traps must be in place and birds must be prevented from
nesting or roosting in stores.
Left Safe and hygienic storage
of Rooibos.
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5
Above Visible signage at a store.
3.4 Wild rooibos
3.4.1 Management of wild rooibos
The remaining populations of all types of wild rooibos must be protected at
all costs because they may contain the genetic codes that will enable the
cultivation of new, improved cultivars or cultivars that can better cope with
climate change in the future. No agricultural development must take place
in areas where wild rooibos grows naturally, not even for rooibos cultivation.
Harvesting of wild rooibos must be done in a way that does not harm or kill
the plants or their habitat.
Any wild rooibos populations on a farm must be identified and mapped. Refer
to 1.3 Mapping and biodiversity information on your farm for the necessary
details regarding maps and related management actions.
For more details about
sustainable management
and harvesting of wild
rooibos, refer to the
booklet The sustainable
harvest of Wild Rooibos
(2007) by Rhoda Malgas
and Noel Oettle.
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information Wild rooibos is commonly know in Afrikaans as “Veldtee” and includes
the wild tea variant know as “Maktee”, which is the most commonly cultivated tea. The latter
does not live long and is easily destroyed by fire. Other wild tea variants include “Boomsoort”,
“Langbeentee”, “Bossietee” and “Rankiestee”.
download
Although fire is an important management tool in the Fynbos biome (see 2.7
Fire management), fires should not occur too frequently. Fire intervals in the
higher rainfall areas like Wuppertal must be more than 10 years, and in the
lower rainfall areas like the southern Bokkeveld more than 15 years. In addition,
controlled burning must not take place on very hot or windy days as this will
kill Rooibos plants. Controlled burning should only be done during late summer,
from March to April. Winter fires are not recommended, because then the plants
are going through a rest period during which mainly the roots are growing.
booklet from www.
heiveld.co.za/researchpublications.html.
Wild rooibos areas must not be grazed for the first two years after a fire,
because this will damage the plants and in turn negatively affect your
production.
environment
Livestock grazing must not occur from November to April because during
summer livestock will select Rooibos over other plants. Wait until after the first
winter rains; then animals will not put so much pressure on Rooibos.
5
3.4.2 Harvesting wild rooibos
Wild rooibos can be harvested every second year. However, in areas of higher
rainfall or during particularly wet periods it may be possible to harvest every
year, but this must be justified by adequate growth.
Flowering usually occurs between September and November, thus harvesting
should take place between January and April when pollination and seeding
have already taken place. The following points are important:
■ Plants younger than three years must not be harvested, because young
plants have a limited ability to regrow after damage.
■ Only between 50 and 70% of the upper parts of the plants are harvested.
Harvesting more makes the plant susceptible to fungus and impedes its
ability to regrow. A high woody component in the cut tea reduces the
overall tea quality and prevents proper fermentation during production.
■ The plant should be cut approximately 2,5 cm above the previous
harvest’s cut.
As a general guideline, it is safe to cut parts of the plant where stems are no
more than 2 mm in diameter.
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5
4. Management of
waste and hazardous
materials
4.1 Waste management
Farm waste is increasingly being considered a serious threat to people and
the environment. This is reflected in the National Environmental Management:
Waste Act 59 of 2008 (NEM:WA), and the waste management activities listed
as requiring authorisation in Government Notice 409 of 2009.
download
management of waste and hazardous materials
Both these documents can be downloaded from the library under
If the thresholds in the NEM:WA are triggered, an environmental assessment
practitioner (EAP) must be employed and an Environmental Impact
Assessment must be done to obtain a waste management licence for the
listed waste management activity.
Waste (solid, liquid and hazardous) and hazardous materials (fuel) must
be responsibly stored, collected, treated and disposed of. This requires (a)
adhering to the legal requirements for dump sites, and (b) drawing up a farm
waste management plan. Such a plan should form part of your Environmental
Management Plan and must contain at least the following:
■ An estimate of the volumes, weight and types of waste generated. This is
essential to ascertain whether you are within legal limits and forms the
basis for the management actions that will need to be taken. Further-
more, different types of waste have different solutions, e.g. organic waste can be composted.
■ A training and education programme aimed at all employees and people
living on the farm to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and manage
hazardous waste.
■ An action plan for waste that is not disposed of at a dump site on the
property (removal, collection or destruction).
■ The provision of the necessary infrastructure to handle and control waste.
This could include bins for general and recyclable waste, transport to
remove waste, general waste disposal sites, liquid waste treatment
systems and composting areas for treating organic waste.
■ A checklist of waste disposal sites indicating:
where the sites are located and the suitability of the site (this could
be indicated on a map)
what type of waste is deposited at the site
the size of the disposal area (in cubic metres).
■ A waste site monitoring schedule for inspecting the condition of the sites.
■ A site remedial action plan (if the site can no longer be used or becomes
a health risk).
■
■
■
information For agrochemical management, see 3.1 Fertilisation and 3.2 Crop protection.
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4.1.1 Solid waste
Waste disposal sites must be outside the 1:50-year flood line of all water
resources and should preferably be placed on already disturbed areas. In
addition, sites may not exceed 50 m2 without authorisation and must be
fenced off to keep out people and animals. Remember that agricultural and
hazardous waste may not be dumped at such a site.
If more than 35 cubic metres of hazardous waste is being stored, then it
triggers a licence application in terms of the NEM:WA.
It is important to note that all holders of waste are required, in terms of the
NEM:WA, to minimise waste.
Solid waste sites must not overlay an area with shallow or emergent water
tables, i.e. they may not be on a wetland, riverbank or close to a dam (see
2.2.1 Protection and management of natural resources for details regarding
wetland delineation). Waste may not be burnt without authorisation and then
only after a full Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out.
Rooibos producers must educate farm workers and their families about waste
management, littering, hazardous waste and recycling.
download
Download the Smart
Living Handbook
published by the City
of Cape Town from the
www.sarooibos.co.za. It
is a great tool that gives
practical tips on waste
management issues.
Above A fenced and signposted solid waste site is a best practice requirement.
5
Above Household waste. Paper and plastic placed in bags ready for removal to a recycling facility.
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5
Right These recycling
bins are easy to set
up. Make sure they can
close and if you have a
baboon problem, they
must be lockable. Mark
each one clearly, if
need be with pictures,
to avoid any confusion
of what needs to be
deposited in the bins.
Below Provide training
and create awareness
on the farm about
reducing, reusing
and recycling waste.
Put up this sign in
appropriate places.
It is vital to implement a recycling system for the whole farm to recycle metal,
glass, cardboard, thick plastic and oil wherever possible, and to compost
organic waste. Most municipalities provide recycling services, and where they
do not, producers should put pressure on them to do so.
4.1.2 Liquid waste
Your Environmental Management Plan must clearly set out the management
system for liquid waste.
All household waste should be processed through appropriate structures such
as waste traps, septic tanks and French drains. Any new development that
requires septic tanks and French drains to be installed should not be closer
than 100 m from a water resource.
Vent
Toilet
and
cistern
Inspection covers
Only liquid enters
the drain
Grooves cut in the bottom of the
pipe allows grey water to filter out
Liquid
Sludge collecting
at the bottom of
the first chamber
Septic tank
French drain
Outlet lower than inlet
Gravel
Packed rocks
Above The basic design of a septic tank with a French drain.
The design of these structures should coincide with the volume of wastewater
received and the treatment capacity, and should allow for periodic inspections
through manholes.
Contaminated liquid waste must not pollute water resources or soil, and should
not pose a threat to human or animal health. It is vital to collect wastewater
from the washing of machinery that has been used for agrochemical
applications. Contaminated water should not be mixed with domestic
wastewater or be discharged into the environment without previous treatment.
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Bunding wall
500 mm high
Oil floats on top
Clean water
Three impermeable concrete chambers
Sludge and solids
collecting at the
bottom should
be pumped out
regularly
Outlet water must not contain more
than 2,5 mg of oil per litre of water
Above A diagram of separator pits on a wash bay. Additional filters and spinners can be added to the
system to make oil separation even more effective.
information
For commercially available oil/water separation units, investigate the
following companies:
Procon Environmental Technologies: www.pro-enviro.co.za
Enbitec Environmental Solutions: www.enbitec.co.za
contact
For the collection of waste oil from your property, contact Waste Pro:
Cell: 084 041 1308
The tanks, traps and their drainage systems should be large enough to process
the volumes of waste received. They should also be located in soils that drain
well enough to prevent the system from filling up with waste water.
5
Outlet pipe
Sloped wash
bay drains into
separation chambers
environment
Most notable here would be oil/water separation. Devices that separate oil
from water are simple structures that work on the principle that oil in water
rises to the top. The speed of this ascent depends on the size and density of
the oil droplets. These structures usually include separator pits and a device
that speeds up separation through an increased surface area or spinning. Some
systems even allow for the reuse of purified water on a vehicle wash bay.
Industrial or domestic wastewater must not be discharged or deposited into
natural water bodies without proof that the discharged water complies with
the respective legal requirements and that the wastewater’s physical and
biochemical characteristics will not degrade the receiving water body.
For this reason it is imperative to test wastewater prior to discharge. The
table on the next page indicates the permissible level of substances before
wastewater can be released into natural water bodies. The general limits
apply to all water bodies and the special limits to listed water resources in the
Rooibos area, namely the Berg and Olifants rivers.
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environment
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Substance/parameter
General limit
Special limit
1 000
0
Chemical oxygen demand
75 mg/ℓ
30 mg/ℓ
pH
5,5–9,5
5,5–7,5
Ammonia as nitrogen
6 mg/ℓ
2 mg/ℓ
Nitrate/Nitrite as nitrogen
15 mg/ℓ
1,5 mg/ℓ
0,25 mg/ℓ
0 mg/ℓ
Suspended solids
25 mg/ℓ
10 mg/ℓ
Phosphorous
10 mg/ℓ
2,5 mg/ℓ (max)
Soap, oil or grease
2,5 mg/ℓ
0 mg/ℓ
Faecal coliforms (per 100 ml)
Chlorine as free chlorine
Where compliance with the above standards cannot be proven, the producer
must conduct a surface-water quality monitoring and analysis programme,
which will require the services of a specialist. The programme must indicate
the sampling points and frequency, and must be continued until it can be
proven that farm activities are not contributing to the degradation of the
quality of the receiving water bodies. At a minimum, water must be tested for
suspended solids, total nitrogen and phosphorous compounds.
Suppliers of environmentally friendly
cleaning materials
information
Environmentally friendly cleaning materials for the cleaning of your vehicles, machinery and tractors
are available from a multitude of suppliers, including:
www.enbitec.co.za
www.fineorganics.co.za
www.kemdantrading.co.za
www.organiccleaning.co.za
Also speak to your local co-op about obtaining “green” products.
4.1.3 Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste potentially has a significant adverse effect on public health
and the environment because of its intrinsic toxicological, chemical and
physical characteristics. Waste of this nature carries the following risks:
■ explosion or fire
■ infections, pathogens, parasites or their vectors
■ chemical instability, reactions or corrosion
■ acute or chronic toxicity
■ cancer, mutations or birth defects
■ toxicity, or damage to the ecosystems or natural resources.
Best practice requires that hazardous waste must immediately be removed
to a registered waste site and not stored on the farm for extended periods
of time. If this cannot be done immediately, the hazardous waste should
be temporarily stored in a lockable facility that prevents both unauthorised
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access and the waste from leaching, dripping or seeping, thus endangering life
or the environment. Please note that hazardous waste cannot be disposed of
on farms – illegal storage, recycling, treatment or disposal of hazardous waste
is a serious offence under the NEM:WA, with fines of up to R10 million and
criminal prosecution.
tips
E-waste can be taken to Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Makro, WESSA and Incredible Connection for recycling.
■ Fluorescent and energy-saving bulbs are extremely hazardous. Keep them separate from other waste and take
care not to break them. Return them unbroken to participating retailers or the municipality.
■ When dealing with empty chemical containers, they must be triple rinsed and punctured to prevent reuse. Do not allow rinse-water to run into septic tanks, drains or a natural body of water. Return it to the applicator and spray it
over the fields where the chemicals were applied.
■
Information
Call Dealco at 082 785 8575 to have the empty chemical containers removed free of charge. Remember to keep
the certificate of removal.
If you were under the impression that the only hazardous waste you deal with
might be the insecticides and herbicides you use, think again. The following
products are also classified as hazardous waste:
■ Indoor pesticides: Ant, cockroach and flying insect killer; flea killers
(sprays, foggers and powders); lice shampoo; mothballs and rat poison.
■ Outdoor pesticides: Chlorinated organophosphates; garden fungicides;
snail poison; insect killers; weed killers and wood preservatives.
■ Automotive products: Antifreeze; batteries; brake fluid; carburettor
cleaner; degreasers; petrol and diesel; transmission fluid and motor oil.
■ Glues and cements: Contact cement; epoxy; most glues including
quickset glue; rubber cement and thinners.
■ Household cleaners: All-purpose cleaners; ammonia; antibacterial
products; disinfectants; chlorine bleach; drain cleaners and metal cleaners.
■ Paints and solvents: Latex paints; lead- and oil-based paints; paint
strippers; thinners and turpentine.
■ Mercury products: Fluorescent lamps and some thermostats.
■ Other: Pool chemicals; asbestos; cooking oil; fire extinguishers and
needles.
■ E-waste: All electrical and electronic items, including computers and
related devices, cellphones, radios, and large and small domestic
appliances.
5
Left Storing empty
chemical containers in
this manner is not only
hazardous but also illegal.
111
There must be a clear emergency plan that details all actions to be taken in
the case of an accidental hazardous waste spill. Leaked or spilled fuel should
be treated as hazardous waste. All employees must be trained in the execution
of the plan.
environment
5
contact Many companies supply hazardous waste spill kits for cleaning up
after an accidental spill. You could contact:
Laboratory Specialist Services: www.lss.co.za
Enbitec Environmental Solutions: www.enbitec.co.za
Also look at the following waste management websites for information and services:
www.enviroserv.co.za
www.treevolution.co.za
www.dontwaste.co.za
www.goinggreen.co.za
or call 08000 9283 (0800WASTE)
4.2 Fuel management
For best practice purposes, your fuel storage facility must be located
outside the 1:100-year flood line or a horizontal distance of more than
100 m (whichever is the greater) from any stream, drainage line or wetland
to prevent the possible pollution of water resources, including ground water.
Fuel tanks must be placed in a demarcated area on impermeable concrete
with a bunding wall around them. The bunded area must be large enough to
contain 1,2 times the volume of at least one full fuel tank.
Above left Fuel tank without proper bunding.
Above right Fuel tanks with bunding and clearly visible information and warning signs.
download
For information of spill
kits, download the
Enviroserv spillage
document from the
112
In addition to the bunding, an impermeable concrete paved area should be
constructed around or adjacent to the fuel tanks for vehicles to park on when
being refilled.
The only acceptable method of transferring fuel from a tank is through a
pump, pipe, control valve and tap.
Any fuel spillage must be regarded as hazardous waste and should be treated
with the appropriate spill kit. Make sure these kits are available at the refuelling
sites. Spill kits typically consist of absorbent materials, degreasers and
bioremediation products.
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5. Climate change
management
Certification requires the Rooibos producer to take action to decrease the
farm’s carbon footprint. Once again, you need to provide evidence of this by
keeping records. A very useful way to do this is to use the Cool Farm Tool, a
tool for estimating the farm’s greenhouse gas emissions.
download You can download the Cool Farm Tool by going to the
Right Rooibos tab at www.sarooibos.co.za.
What is climate change, global warming and the greenhouse effect?
And what does it mean for Rooibos producers?
information
Briefly, the Earth’s atmosphere consists of a variety of gases, namely nitrogen, oxygen and greenhouse gases (including water
vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide). These greenhouse gases act like the glass roof of a greenhouse. What
happens? Short wave energy from the sun passes through the gases, but long wave energy (reflected from the Earth) is trapped
and cannot pass back through them. This is a natural process; however, human activity has increased greenhouse gases via CO2
emissions from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil). As illustrated in the schematic presentation of the greenhouse effect
below, this results in additional heat being trapped in the atmosphere, which accelerates global warming.
Atmosphere
Sun
A portion of the infrared
waves passes through
the greenhouse gases
and is lost in space
Some solar energy
is reflected by the
atmosphere and
the Earth’s surface
Shortwave solar
radiation passes
through the
atmosphere
CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT
You can also keep records of your electricity and fuel usage, and of the actions
taken and equipment used to save energy. Read on to see what you can do to
decrease your energy consumption.
5
Greenhouse gases
Shortwave energy
is absorbed by the
Earth, heats it and
is reflected as long
wave energy
Some long wave
energy (infrared)
is reflected by the
greenhouse gases
and heats the
Earth even further
Earth
113
Rooibos farmers must understand that this warming and the associated
reduced, increased or erratic rainfall can be disastrous for production. They
should therefore do what they can to mitigate climate change (reduce
emissions) and adapt to or prepare for changing climatic events.
environment
5
Most energy and materials used in the agricultural sector rely on fossil fuels.
The main energy demands on Rooibos farms come from:
■ land preparation (tractors, transport)
■ irrigation (electric and/or diesel pumps)
■ fertilisation and crop protection methods (tractors, transport)
■ most agrochemicals (fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides made from
fossil fuels)
■ harvesting (transport)
■ processing (electric equipment, water pumps).
By reducing your energy and chemical demands, you can reduce the emission
of greenhouse gases and so combat climate change.
5.1 Fuel use
Information
You can reduce your fuel consumption through wise planning and carefully
monitoring the abovementioned activities.
What is carbon 5.2 Field preparation and soil cover
sequestration? Rooibos and other fields can be prepared in such a way that it prevents
Carbon sequestration
is the natural removal
of carbon from the
atmosphere by the soil
and plants. By keeping
the maximum amount
of natural vegetation on
fields and organic matter
in the soil, excess carbon
dioxide is removed from
the atmosphere. This
slows down the build-up
of CO2.
energy wastage and assists with carbon sequestration.
Always maintain as much soil cover as possible on your fields. Do not leave
them fallow for extended periods, because this also increases the potential for
erosion. In addition, manage all natural veld and riparian areas for maximum
carbon sequestration, maximum diversity and minimum erosion.
Much CO2 is lost from the soil as soon as the soil is exposed and turned over,
i.e. when ploughing. The concept of conservation farming includes three
principles:
■ no or minimum tilling
■ retaining the plant stubble on the field
■ crop rotation.
Reduce tillage to an absolute minimum. Farming based on energy-intensive
processes adds to the climate change problem and is a risk when fuel prices
rise. Conservation tillage not only saves on fuel, but also reduces carbon loss
from the soil. When combined with retaining crop residue/stubble on the field,
it increases soil life and the organic content of topsoil.
Retaining the plant stubble on a field instead of burning or ploughing it in
prevents soil erosion and excessive soil temperatures that could kill important
bio-organisms. The stubble also helps to maintain soil moisture and provides
valuable organic matter for soil organisms.
Crop rotation refers to the alternation of crops from one year to the next. This
prevents the “mining” of specific soil nutrients that tends to occur when the
same crop is planted year after year. Crop rotation replaces valuable nutrients
114
Information
What does ‘mining nutrients’ mean?
Crops remove nutrients from the soil, and we remove the crops. In this way, nutrients in the soil
become less and less, in a neverending cycle.
5.3 Irrigation
Energy consumption by irrigation system can be considerably reduced if
your system design is optimal for the specific crop. Drip irrigation uses much
less water and therefore less energy. You should also schedule your irrigation
in such a way that it is efficient (refer to 2.2.2 (b) Commercial water use:
Irrigation management).
Dead organic matter in the soil functions as mulch and prevents excessive
water loss due to evaporation. A deep layer of organic matter means you will
need to irrigate less. However, manage the mulch depth so that fungus growth
is not encouraged.
General maintenance of irrigation systems (leaks, blockages, etc.) is imperative
if you want to save water and energy. Cover your water storage dams to
prevent evaporation. You will save on your pumping time to fill up storage
dams and on electricity use.
5
Leave windbreaks (rows of natural vegetation) between the Rooibos
fields. This reduces wind speeds by about 50% compared to fields without
windbreaks. In addition, the windbreaks also reduce soil erosion and excessive
evaporation. They also create more habitat for insects, including those that
pollinate Rooibos, and by and large improve biodiversity. In general, the strips
of natural bush should be 10 m wide, alternating with 20 m wide strips of
Rooibos fields.
environment
in the soil, thus saving on fertilisers. The accepted best practice for Rooibos
is to cultivate the land with Rooibos for six years, then alternate for two years
with oats depending on weather and soil conditions.
5.4 Fertilisers and crop protection
Chemical fertilisers can be replaced with compost and naturally mined
minerals, but be careful – the carbon footprint of these options can be just as
high or higher than that of mineral fertilisers, therefore every product needs to
be assessed. Fertilisation and the associated energy demand of the process
can be optimised through:
■ correct timing
■ correct quantities
■ applying the fertiliser on damp days when evaporation is less.
The same principles are relevant for crop protection. Making sure that your
timing and quantities are correct should eliminate unnecessary applications
and transport costs.
5.5 Harvesting
The harvesting of Rooibos must be timed and managed to reduce
unnecessary transport.
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5
5.6 Electricity use
climate change management
Rooibos farmers should have an action plan to decrease electricity
consumption. Such a plan includes keeping a record of consumption. Actions
taken to reduce consumption relate to all of the above topics, but would also
involve some or all of the following:
■ replacing old electric motors with new-generation high-efficiency motors
■ matching irrigation pipes and nozzle sizes to reduce friction and
therefore electricity consumption
■ maintaining nozzles and pipes to reduce water loss and therefore
electricity consumption
■ using cellphone and computer technology to schedule irrigation; this
could reduce energy consumption by up to 30%
■ investigating the use of alternative energy sources like wind, solar power
or biogas, where possible
■ replacing normal light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs or LEDs
■ improving the insulation of buildings, especially the roofs
■ improving the insulation of geysers and only switching them on when
necessary.
All your employees must be reminded of how important it is to save energy
and decrease the use of fossil fuels for the generation of electricity. They should
also be well informed on what they can do to help achieve these savings.
What are the advantages of mitigating the effects
of climate change and global warming for your business?
Information
By looking after the environment in the context of your farm, you can mitigate the effects of climate
change on your farm and prevent a decline in the value of your property. Conserving your soil, water
and biodiversity can make your farm environment more resilient to the effects of climate change,
and saving energy will save you money.
Climate change is everybody’s problem and South Africa also has an obligation to international
climate change mitigation frameworks. It is thus important to act pro-actively before legislation
becomes prescriptive.
In addition to all the abovementioned actions, the effective mitigation of
climate change will be assisted by the implementation of the management
actions detailed in this guide:
■ General maintenance of biodiversity on your farm (see 1. Impact of farming on the environment).
■ Appropriate fire management (see 2.7 Fire management).
■ Erosion rehabilitation and prevention (see 2.3 Soil health).
■ Wetland and riparian zone conservation and rehabilitation (see 2.2 Water resources).
■ Effective control of alien invasive plants and animals (see 1. Impact of farming on the environment, 2.5 Invasive alien plants and 2.6 Wildlife management).
■ Making and managing effective corridors (see 2.4 Corridors and
connectivity).
■ Adequate protection of wild rooibos resources (see 3.4 Wild rooibos).
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CHAPTER 1: STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION
Websites (accessed in February 2011)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazard_Analysis_and_Critical_Control_Points
www.brc.org.uk
www.fairtrade.net
www.flo-cert.net
www.rainforest-alliance.org
www.sarooibos.org.za/rr-standard
www.utzcertified.org
bibliography
bibliography
CHAPTER 2: Integrated Management system
Acts, ordinances and regulations
Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
National Veld and Forest Fires Act 101 of 1998
National Water Act 36 of 1998
Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974
Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
Fertilizers, Farm feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies
Act 36 of 1947
www.rainforest-alliance.org
www.sarooibos.co.za
www.utzcertified.org
CHAPTER 3: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
International Labour Organisation. 1998. ILO Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work.
International Labour Organisation. 2002. The International Labour
Organisation’s Fundamental Conventions.
Acts and sectoral determinations
Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997
Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993
Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995
Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker Sector
Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act 4 of 2002
www.ccma.org.za
www.ilo.org
www.labour.gov.za
CHAPTER 4: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Cousins, B. 2009. Land reform in post-apartheid South Africa – a disappointing harvest.
Gordhan, Pravin. 2011. South African Budget Speech, 23 February 2011.
Statistics South Africa. 2010. Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Quarter 4, 2010.
117
bibliography
Acts
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Codes of Good Practice,
Notice 112 of 2007
Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998
Extension of Security of Tenure Act 62 of 1997
Skills Development Act 97 of 1998
Skills Development Levies Act 9 of 1999
http://bee.thedti.gov.za/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform
http://go.worldbank.org/0TL4GGQ6M0
www.dti.gov.za
www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za
www.sarooibos.co.za
CHAPTER 5: ENVIRONMENT
Website (accessed in February 2011)
http://bgis.sanbi.org
Other sources
1. IMPACT OF FARMING ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Altieri, M.A. 2004. Agroecology versus Ecoagriculture: balancing food
production and biodiversity conservation in the midst of social inequity.
IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP).
De Villiers, C., Driver, A., Clark, B., Euston-Brown, D., Day, L., Job, N., Helme,
N., Holmes, P., Brownlie, S. and Rebelo, T. 2005. Fynbos Forum Ecosystem
Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape. Fynbos
Forum and Botanical Society of South Africa, Kirstenbosch.
Driver, A., Cowling, R.M. and Maze, K. 2003. Planning for Living Landscapes:
Perspectives and Lessons from South Africa. Washington DC: Center
for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International; Cape Town,
Botanical Society of South Africa.
Gaston, K.J. 2008. Biodiversity and extinction: the importance of being
common. Progress in Physical Geography 32(1): 73–79.
Harrison, J. and Young, D. 2010. Farming for the future: farm sustainably with
nature. Cape Town, Animal Demography Unit.
2. INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
2.1 Authorisations
Pretorius G. 2008. Biodiversity Best Practice Guidelines for Rooibos
Production. South African Rooibos Council.
2.2 Water resources
DWA. 2004. Integrated water resources management guidelines for water
conservation and water demand management in water management areas
and in the water services sector, South Africa. Volume 3. Implementation
of Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Measures within
the Water Services.
DWA. 2005. A practical field procedure for the delineation of wetlands and
riparian areas.
How to measure the water level in a well. 2009. Oregon Water Resources
Department and Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension.
Malan, H. (ed). 2009. WET Management Series. Water Research Commission.
Ravencroft, P. and Murray, R. 2004. Groundwater monitoring for pump
operators. DWA.
118
2.3 Soil health
Coetzee, K. 2005. Caring for Natural Rangelands. University of KwaZulu-Natal
Press.
Milton Dean, S. 2010. Feasibility and benefits of veld rehabilitation following
control of invasive Prosopis in the Calvinia area. Working for Water:
Namakwa-District Municipality.
Milton Dean, S. and Dean, W.R.J. Undated. Guidelines for Veld Restoration.
Renu-Karoo Veld Restoration cc.
Zeedyk, B. and Jansens, J-W. 2009. An introduction to erosion control. Earth
Works Institute, The Quivira Coalition and Zeedyk Ecological Consulting.
Beier, P. and Noss, R.F. 1998. Do habitat corridors provide connectivity?
Conservation Biology. 12(6).
Bennett, A.F. 2003. Linkages in the Landscape. The Role of Corridors and
Connectivity in Wildlife Conservation. IUCN.
Herbst, M. 2011. MSc Thesis. Ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services and
rooibos production as affected by connectivity to natural vegetation and
agrochemical use in rooibos tea (Aspalathuslinearis) farming. University of
Cape Town.
bibliography
Trimmer, W.L. 2000. Measuring well water levels.
Martens, C., Waller, L. and Delahunt, K. 2003. Alien Plant Control: An
Operational Guideline for Land Managers. CapeNature.
Milton Dean, S. 2010. Feasibility and benefits of veld rehabilitation following
control of invasive Prosopis in the Calvinia area. Working for Water:
Namakwa-District Municipality.
The Nature Conservation Corproration. 2006. Invasive Alien Vegetation
Management Manual.
Thuiller, W., Richardson, D.M. and Midgley, G.F. 2006. Will Climate Change
Promote Alien Plant Invasions? Ecological Studies, Vol. 193.
Colahan, B.D. Undated. The mallard duck – a “genetic invader”. Free State
Tourism, Environment & Economic Affairs.
Smuts, B. 2008. Predators on livestock farms Landmark Foundation.
Stadler, H. 2007. Human-wildlife conflict prevention and management. CapeNature.
Van Deventer, J. 2010. Consolidated draft translocation policy for mammals in
the Western Cape Province. CapeNature.
2.7 Fire management
Maguire, L.A. and Albright, E.A. 2005. Can behavioral decision theory explain
risk-averse fire management decisions? Forest Ecology and Management
211: 47–58.
3. INTEGRATED CROP MANAGEMENT
3.1 Fertilisation
Hawkins, H. and Cramer, M. 2008. Phosphorous toxicity in Proteas: Symptoms
and amelioration. Unpublished report to PPSA, University of Cape Town.
Logsdon, S., Clay, D., Moore, D. and Tsegaye, T. 2008. Soil Science: Step by Step
Field Analysis. Soil Science Society of America.
Morrow, C., Matlhoahela, T., Hawkins, H. and Cramer, M. 2006. Nutrient
deficiencies and toxicities in cultivated Proteaceae. University of Cape Town.
119
bibliography
3.2 Crop protection
Du Plessis, K. and Allsopp, E. Undated. Guidelines for handling, storage and
disposal of agrochemicals in the South African wine industry. ARC InfruitecNietvoorbij.
Eksteen, H.C. Undated. Sustainable Organic Farming in Africa. Affmech cc.
Guidelines for the management of small quantities of unwanted and obsolete
pesticides FAO PESTICIDE DISPOSAL SERIES 7. 1999. United Nations
Environment Programme: World Health Organisation Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations.
Guidelines on good practice for aerial application of pesticides. 2001. Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Guidelines on minimum requirements for agricultural pesticide application
equipment. Volume 1. 2001. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Hatting, J. 2008. Insects on Rooibos. SA Rooibos Council.
Rother, H. A. and Jacobs, R. Undated. Pesticide Health Risks for South African
Emerging Farmers. Surplus People Project.
Thorpe, J.C.I. 2007. MSc Thesis. Sustainable Biological Farming Methods
Versus Conventional Farming: Three Limpopo Province Case Studies.
University of Johannesburg.
3.4 Wild Rooibos
Hawkins, H-J, Malgas, R, Biénabe, E. 2011. Ecotypes of wild rooibos
(Aspalathuslinearis (Burm. F) Dahlg., Fabaceae) are ecologically distinct.
South African Journal of Botany doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2010.09.014
Malgas, R. and Oettle, N. 2007. The sustainable harvest of wild rooibos.
Environmental Monitoring Group Trust.
4. MANAGEMENT OF WASTE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
DEA&DP. 2008. Assessment for the best practicable environmental option for
managing priority hazardous waste streams for the Western Cape.
DEAT. Undated. Working with Waste. Guideline on Recycling of Solid Waste.
Snyman HG and Herselman JE. 2006 Guidelines for the Utilisation and
Disposal of Wastewater Sludge. Volume 2: Requirements for the Agricultural
use of wastewater sludge. Water Research Commission.
Smart Living Handbook. 2009. City of Cape Town.
5. CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT
CapeNature. Undated. A landowner’s guide to managing Climate Change. Facts, threats and solutions.
Confronting Climate Change. 2009. South African Fruit and Wine Climate
Change Programme.
De Villiers M.S. 2009. Birds and Environmental Change: building an early
warning system in South Africa. South African National Biodiversity
Institute.
Midgley, G.F., Rutherford, M. and Bond, W. 2001. The heat is on. South African
Botanical Society, Cape Town.
Simms, A. 2005. Africa up in Smoke? Second Report from the Working Group
on Climate Change and Development. NEF.
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Handbook for Implementing Rooibos

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