Often when the word community is invoked, we take it to mean local geographic communities. However, addressing the biodiversity crisis depends on not only local communities but also the wider network of stakeholders in the bioeconomy. The DFFE ABioSA Community Engagement Pilot Project was a mutual discovery between stakeholders as they contribute across the Honeybush Sector Value Chain and beyond. By ‘beyond’, we mean including the plant itself (ie. the various Honeybush species) and people, like women and Young People, living in the geographic vicinity where Honeybush grows.
This wide framing of community is necessary in order to recognise how important our contributions are within the greater context. We come to know that our role as an individual or organisation matters; for us and for all involved.
An important aspect of this community engagement approach was to relate to Honeybush stakeholders from a bio-cultural systems perspective. Bio-cultural intelligence (eco-cultural) as we relate to it, refers to the interdependent functioning between human beings, and human beings and the natural environment. To enquire into this is an invitation to explore the different facets and connections between our heritage, the land, forms of knowledge, community life and livelihoods in ways that nurture, protect and sustain life.
ABioSA Wayfinding Visual
Community Engagement Project
Video from the ABioSA Community Engagement Pilot capturing aspects of the first Community Gathering with Indigenous Cultural Leaders, Local Community Members, Wild Harvesters, Traditional Healers and Government Officials
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"Here we are going beyond the spectacular; it is ours. We found that in the strengths of everyone, there was a huge potential to conceptualise our vision, the collective vision. Connecting to earth, its offerings and in this case, a simple yet extraordinary plant that crowds in curiosity, possibility, opportunity, livelihood, and creativity.”
- Foreword to Friends of Honeybush report
Natalie Feltman
DFFE Director of Bioeconomy
This method of community engagement for this pilot project begins with the first gathering called Meeting each other close to the land. The first instance of coming together begins with local communities and community leaders. The physical place or location of the first gathering is important in that it should be within the geographic vicinity where the plant resource grows. This helps surface the Traditional Knowledge about the customs and norms of working and living in communities that work directly with the land over time. It is vital to engage with elders, women, and Young People in the local community. This gathering sets an inclusive foundation for nurturing community within a sector. We start with people who are often the most marginalised so that everyone has an acknowledged footing to confidently share their perspectives and bring forward their voice. As you reflect on community engagement in your situation, who needs to be included and who is closely associated with the natural resource? We invite you to engage them by including the quieter often excluded voices first.