T
he Western Cape’s fynbos
landscapes are not only
beautiful to look at; they
also provide an important
agricultural industry. Natural and
cultivated fynbos are harvested for
local and overseas markets – providing thousands of jobs across the
province.
In fact, industry statistics suggest
that the sale of fresh fynbos to local
and overseas markets will amount
to about R85-million per year (including the sale of fynbos that is
cultivated and fynbos harvested
from natural populations). Approximately 80 percent of this fynbos is
exported, with the most demand
coming from the European Union,
the United Kingdom, and to a lesser
extent Africa.
As an idea of the extent of the in-
Photo: Chris Kriel
dustry’s exports, more than 17 million protea, leucadendron and leucospernum stems were exported in
the last year. This number is expected to climb to more than 20
million in the coming year. The size
of the sector has also encouraged
renewed support from the Department of Agriculture, which has
identified the fynbos industry as a
niche sector in agriculture, and one
that deserves support.
Given that fynbos is a part of our
natural heritage, it is therefore important to ensure the economic sustainability of the industry also balances with the environmental and
social sustainability, particularly
when fynbos is harvested in the
wild. One way of showcasing this
sustainability to retailers, who are
increasingly pressuring their suppliers to trade ethically across differ-
Photo: Chris Kriel
ent sectors, is through the Sustainable Harvesting Programme, coordinated by a non-governmental organisation called Flower Valley Conservation Trust, based just outside
of Gansbaai.
This voluntary programme provides
support to landowners and fynbos
harvesters, to meet best practice
environmental, and social and labour standards. At the same time,
the Trust also works with retailers,
to promote ethically traded fynbos
bouquets to interested markets.
While the Sustainable Harvesting
Programme has been tested across
the Agulhas Plain, through new
support from the European Union
and the WWF Nedbank Green Trust,
plans are now being put in place to
roll it out across the rest of the
Cape Floral Kingdom. Emphasis has
Photo: Chris Kriel