South African agriculture remains an essential part of the country’s economy and the livelihoods of thousands of people. While the sector continues to feed millions and provide employment for a significant portion of the population, the industry has faced challenges from climate change. The impacts are not just on the environment, but also on the people working in the industry. As rainfall patterns shift, extreme weather becomes more frequent, and seasons become increasingly unpredictable, farm owners, management and agri-workers working in the sector are directly impacted.
The relationship between the environment and labour
While heatwaves come to mind as the most obvious impact of climate change, the real impact lies in the slow, systemic changes that disrupt agricultural patterns and seasons. Traditional planting and harvesting schedules have become unpredictable, complicating crop planning and threatening food security. Besides crop producers, livestock farmers face dwindling water supplies and poorer grazing conditions. For agri-workers, this translates into inconsistent work schedules and reduced income stability, especially for those reliant on seasonal employment. Seasonal labour on farms is probably the most affected due to seasonal changes. Seasonal labour has long underpinned South African agriculture, particularly in the fruit, wine, and vegetable sectors. But as seasons shift and become less predictable, so does the labour demand. Workers are often called in at short notice or find that anticipated employment doesn’t materialise. This has a ripple effect on families, rural economies, and education access for children in labour-reliant households.
In line with South Africa’s commitment to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). In this context, agri-workers and their jobs are essential to shaping a more sustainable, resilient agricultural sector, as the industry depends on them. To ensure this, it’s important that workers are educated and made aware of the impacts of climate change and how to combat it in their daily lives on farms. In many farming communities, workshops on water conservation, pest management and the safe disposal of plastic mulch and fertiliser bags are proving effective. Some farms have even introduced programmes where trained workers share their knowledge in their own languages and cultural contexts, and also drive competition initiatives, for example, who can recycle the most.
Enhancing everyday sustainability
We often overlook the powerful contributions agri-workers make every day toward environmental sustainability. Workers participate in water-saving efforts, soil management, and recycling initiatives on many farms. Composting organic waste, sorting plastics and chemical containers, and reusing materials are becoming part of the daily routine.
South African agriculture has always been about more than just crops and livestock. It’s about people—about the hands that sow, tend, and harvest. If we are to build a truly climate-resilient food system, we must start with them. Some useful tips?
- Employee awareness on using sun protection, hats and other measures to avoid heat exhaustion or sunburn.
- Providing enough drinking water throughout the production process, in the fields, orchards and accommodation.
- Ensuring workers understand the importance of adequate waste management on farms.
- Creating awareness on the protection of natural resources such as rivers, dams, natural vegetation and forests.
- Have rules in place regarding the burning of natural areas, destruction of natural resources and mindfulness on how nature and humans need support one another.
Opportunities abroad
Additionally, when supplying to Europe and the United Kingdom (UK), South African producers must recognise the negative impacts of climate change on European and UK agriculture and their agricultural communities. As European and UK yields decline due to changing weather patterns, South African agriculture may capitalise on increased demand for reliable agricultural imports to Europe. However, this also introduces challenges for South African farmers: to adopt climate-resilient practices to meet the expectations of European retailers and consumers. Building resilient farming systems is therefore crucial for both local sustainability, and for maintaining strong, positive trade relationships with Europe and the UK.
For more information, feel free to contact SIZA and share your good initiatives with us – admin@siza.co.za.
