Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) | South Africa

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) fosters women’s leadership to address climate change. The initiative carries out activities such as planting trees to sequester carbon and raises public awareness about climate change. Its programmes also enhance food security, alleviate poverty, teach women skills and create a healthier and more sustainable environment.

Fast facts:

4.2 million trees planted, with more than 1.5 million tonnes of carbon sequestered;
100 permaculture food gardening projects established;
Thousands of women benefiting from FTFA’s programmes every year.

Fostering women's leadership

FTFA implements six programmes that benefit thousands of women across South Africa each year: Trees for All, Trees for Homes, EduPlant, Food Gardens for Africa, Bamboo for All and FEED.

The six programmes enhance food security, respond to climate change, alleviate poverty, teach women skills and create a healthier and more sustainable environment. FTFA continues to innovate, adding new creative approaches to greening, sustainable natural resource management, behavioral change, and climate change mitigation, adaptation and awareness. Women’s leadership is at the heart of FTFA’s programmes. For example, the Trees for Homes, Trees for All, EduPlant and Food Gardens for Africa programmes are led by female programme managers, supported by female entrepreneurs and have a positive impact on women from South Africa’s poorest communities.

Helping the planet

Since FTFA pioneered its work, there are now more carbon calculators, carbon assessors and climate change responders across South Africa. There are increasing numbers of organizations that are planting trees to mitigate climate change based on the FTFA model and developing permaculture training, educational material and gardens.

FTFA’s pioneering work includes planting more than 4.2 million trees that have sequestered more than 1.5 million tonnes of carbon. In addition, FTFA’s Bamboo for All and Trees for Homes programmes were the first in the world to be internationally recognized through the Verified Carbon Standard.

Helping people

FTFA delivers social, environmental and economic benefits to disadvantaged women across South Africa through community projects. These communities include thousands of schools, women’s groups and other community organizations that planted millions of trees and created thousands of organic food gardens.

Spillover effect

FTFAs activities have increased every year since 1990. Various government departments have modelled their community work on FTFAs initiatives, illustrating the replicability of these activities. For example, a group of schools in Mexico area are already using a translated version of a FTFA booklet to raise awareness about climate change and mobilize for action by implementing FTFA’s programmes.