The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa will launch the Farming the Wild project and the Green Economy Modelling Report of South Africa on Tuesday, 6 August 2013 in the uPhongolo Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
Farming the Wild is a community based project to green the rural economy of the uPhongolo Local Municipality. The project aims to create green jobs and sustain two rural communities in the province through game farming initiatives, thereby supporting the objectives of the Green Fund. The project is funded through the National Green Fund.
The primary aim of the Green Fund is to provide catalytic finance to facilitate investment in green initiatives – this includes funding green economy project initiation and development; research and development; and capacity building initiatives.
The Fund seeks to support green initiatives to assist South Africa’s transition to a low carbon, resource efficient and climate resilient development path delivering high impact economic, environmental and social benefits. Farming the Wild has been funded for an amount of R22 million.
In this context, Minister Molewa will launch the Farming the Wild project along with the South African Green Economy Modelling (SAGEM) Report. The SAGEM report was developed to present a modelling process and to test existing national targets in policies such as the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, 2020 New Growth Path and the 2030 National Development Plan and the effects of investing in a green economy in South Africa.
The SAGEM report is based on scenarios of investments allocated to four of nine sectors with potential opportunities for a transition to a green economy in South Africa. The report affirms the current government’s support to pursue and explore opportunities in a green economy.
The Minister will be joined by King Inkosi Gumbi of the Gumbi tribe; KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize; KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, Dr Bonginkosi Radebe; Mayor of the Zululand District, Councillor Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi and District Chairperson of the Traditional Leaders, Inkosi Chiliza.
Media are invited to attend the launch as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 06 August 2013
Time: 10h30
Venue: Somkhanda Game Reserve, Nongoma, uPhongolo Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
To RSVP contact:
Nwabisa Tsengiwe
Cell: 074 605 6149
Tel: 012 395 3198
Email: NTsengiwe@environment.gov.za
Kgomotso Penyenye
Cell: 012 395 1771
Email: KPenyenye@environment.gov.za
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
