2. About South Africa Population: >49 million Area: 1,219,912 sq km
Rainfall: +/- 500mm p.a
Environmental hazards: Prolonged droughts (north & west) & floods (east; north-east)
Cultural diversity: Black 79%; White 9.6%; Coloured 8.9%; Indian/Asian 2.5% (Census 2001)

4. How Will Disenfranchised Peoples Adapt to Climate Change?
Disenfranchised: to deprive of a franchise, of a legal right, or of some privilege or immunity ; especially : to deprive of the right to vote -

5. From past to peasant
A litany of laws led to the disenfranchisement of entire communities before and during the Apartheid era (1948 – 1994):
1913: Black people not allowed to own or rent land outside allocated reserves
1950: Population divided by race, then area
1951: Coloured people removed from voter’s roll; “sqatting” laws passed
1959: University education restricted: no blacks…
1994: Change to democratic governance

6. 15 Years later, things have improved. But…
Access to land remains difficult for the poor and marginalised
Land-tenure is highly variable
Self governance is still being learnt
Large parts of our (rural) society are still segregated
Government programmes to “level the playing fields” are often seen to be biased and unfair
Economic disparities between rich and poor continue to grow

9. Project 90x2030 vision: South Africans from all sectors of society doing their bit to save the planet, committed to changing the way they live by 90% by the year 2030.
Aimed mostly at urban middle-class households in Cape Town and other major cities
Now also engaging with vulnerable farming communities in the Swartland area

10. About the Swartland… Population: 2 115, (72% urban)
Elevation: 150 – 200m
Rainfall: Winter (Jun – August) 450 – 390 mm p.a.
Economic activities: Quarrying, tourism, agriculture (wheat, canola, vineyards, orchards, poultry)
Map of Southwestern Cape distinguishing the Swartland Area (Meadows, 2003)

11. Elements of the project…
Desktop study: Climate change trends in the Swartland region
Interviews / focussed group discussions: Socio-economic context of small-scale farmers in the Swartland region
Conferences, workshops and publications
Land-user newsletter
Climate Change Workshops

12. Farmer to Farmer Climate Change Workshops

13. Workshop preparation Form a planning team amongst ourselves
Plan the workshop with input from the farmers (suitable dates, venues, etc.)
Construct appropriate invitations – in the local language (Afrikaans), welcoming and respectful tone, readable font, short and informative
Invite farmers (and any other interested parties as appropriate)

14. Workshop preparation Workshop preparation
Get word out through telecommunication and social networks – as appropriate
Follow up!
Arrange transport, funds, refreshments, logistics
Have a planning meeting in advance, communicate
Prepare inputs that are suitable for the audience

15. Visualisation a form of empowerment

16. What have you experienced?
Stay creative

17. A farmers has her story. Let her tell it.

18. Make time to talk

19. Draw on other experts in our networks

20. Learning together by doing together

21. Technology!

23. Support capacity development
Farmers gather own data
Support capacity development

24. Mentor farmers…

25. Mentor farmers…

26. To our colleagues… Africa is not a country
Who is “the” community, and where is our place in “it”?
Diversity brings with it complexity and opportunity
We are still new in our democracy
For many poor South Africans, Climate change is just another layer underneath HIV Aids, unemployment, community politics, economic pressures… but they are engaging

27. To fellow academics
We must strive to practice what we teach of participatory methodologies and interdisciplinary research
Local knowledge is also scientific data
Let’s equip our natural science students with social skills and education
Serve with our sciences
Exchange knowledge across institutional divides

28. To fellow South Africans
Let’s honour the voices that were silenced in one Struggle by raising our own in this one against Climate Change