{"id":181,"date":"2019-08-28T01:35:13","date_gmt":"2019-08-28T01:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.plantagbiosciences.org\/people\/rudzani-khameli\/?p=181"},"modified":"2019-08-30T14:22:52","modified_gmt":"2019-08-30T14:22:52","slug":"working-for-wetlands-programme-an-initiative-aimed-to-rehabilitate-protect-and-conserve-wetlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.plantagbiosciences.org\/people\/rudzani-khameli\/2019\/08\/28\/working-for-wetlands-programme-an-initiative-aimed-to-rehabilitate-protect-and-conserve-wetlands\/","title":{"rendered":"Working for Wetlands programme an initiative aimed to rehabilitate, protect and conserve wetlands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sustainable Development Goal No 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to the National Biodiversity Assessment for South Africa carried out in 2011, wetlands occupy only 2.4% of the country\u2019s total area, however, 48% of the wetland ecosystem types are critically endangered, 12% are endangered, 5% vulnerable and 35% least threatened (Macfarlane et al., 2014). The South African wetlands are therefore the most highly threatened ecosystems of all in the country (Driver et al., 2012). Working for Wetlands is a joint initiative of the Departments of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Water and Sanitation (DWS) previously known as Water Affairs (DWA) and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wetlands are our natural assets and natural\ninfrastructure able to provide a range of products, functions and services,\nfree of charge. These activities severely affected and dramatically\naltered South Africa\u2019s landscapes over the past few centuries. Studies in\nseveral areas have suggested that between 35% and 60% of South Africa\u2019s\nwetlands have already been lost or severely degraded. IWMI, (2014) indicate\nthat agricultural practices such as upstream irrigation projects and extraction\nof water from wetlands for agriculture affect the quality and quantity of water\nflowing in wetlands and can also can decrease the flow of water in a wetland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Africa is part of Ramsar Convention which ensures that the legal duty to conserve or rehabilitate wetlands arises from various legal instruments (IWMI, 2014). In terms of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands states must assign wetlands to be listed on Ramsar convention , South Africa have assigned 12 wetlands (DWA, 2000) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pivotal response by the government\nto this state of affairs was the establishment in 2002 of a national wetland\nrehabilitation programme, known as \u2018Working for Wetlands\u2019<\/strong>. The decision\nto create such a programme came about through the convergence of several\ndriving forces. It drew on objectives in environmental, biodiversity, water and\nagriculture policies, and capitalised on the growing recognition that wetland\ndegradation is not necessarily permanent, and that it is possible to reinstate\nat least some ecosystem services through rehabilitation. A foundation was\nprovided for the creation of the programme, in the form of another pioneering\ngovernment initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 1996, the Working for Water\nprogramme had been engaged in removing thirsty invasive alien plants that posed\na threat to the country\u2019s water security, agricultural productivity and\nbiodiversity. The non-governmental Mondi Wetlands Project recognised that the\nlabour-intensive model pioneered by Working for Water would be equally suited\nto the activities involved in rehabilitating wetlands, and lobbied government\nto begin experimenting in this direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most significant factor enabling\nthe emergence of Working for Wetlands was the availability of government funds\nearmarked for employment creation and poverty reduction, through the\nExpanded Public Works Programme (EPWP<\/strong>). This government-wide initiative was\nset up to draw significant numbers of unemployed people into the productive\nsector of the economy, gaining skills while they work and increasing their\ncapacity to earn income. The ability to turn wetland rehabilitation into a\nlabour-intensive process unlocked a magnitude of financial resources and\npolitical support that was previously inconceivable to cash-strapped government\ndepartments responsible for biodiversity conservation and natural resource\nmanagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working for Wetlands conduct its\nmandate of wetland rehabilitation and wise use in a manner that maximises\nemployment creation, supports small emerging businesses, and transfers skills\nto its beneficiaries. In line with EPWP norms, the programme targets those\ngroups most excluded from the mainstream economy, with particular emphasis on\nwomen, youth and people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EPWP WFW rehabilitating a wetland using gabions to prevent soil erosion in Limpopo Province, South Africa. (Source: Department of Water affairs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Working for Wetlands main objectives are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n