Meat Naturally, WWF Nedbank Green Trust partner to support farmers and restore rangelands

SOUTH AFRICA – A partnership between Meat Naturally Africa (MNA) and the WWF Nedbank Green Trust is helping communal farmers in South Africa improve their income while repairing some of the country’s most damaged grazing lands.

Launched in January 2025, the project covers over 420,000 hectares in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape, Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, and near Kruger National Park.

The project, as outlined in a comprehensive feature by AFRICANFARMING, links better farming practices with environmental gains, offering training, improved livestock, mobile auctions, and access to markets.

“When farmers see that their livestock are healthy and gaining weight, and they begin receiving good prices for their cattle, sheep and wool, they experience the benefits of participating in environmental conservation projects,” said Sarah Frazee, CEO of MNA.

Frazee noted that about 90 percent of South Africa’s rangelands are in poor condition. Overgrazing and invasive plants degrade wetlands and catchments that supply more than half of the country’s water.

A University of Cape Town study shows that while herd numbers may hold steady, long-term productivity drops on degraded land.

Wildfires add to the pressure, especially for women. “These fires are often caused by improperly extinguished cooking fires and children playing with fire,” said Frazee.

To support women farmers, MNA offers improved sheep through its Fleece Naturally initiative. “Forty percent of the clients involved in MNA’s Fleece Naturally initiative are women,” she said.

Mobile livestock auctions have already raised incomes. “The turnover from these mobile auctions ranges between R600,000 (US$33,810) and R2 million (US$112,700) per auction, with MNA hosting approximately 22 auctions each year,” Frazee said.

The MN Kruger Meats abattoir buys only from farmers following land restoration guidelines. Local women and youth then sell the beef in their communities.

“The link between conservation and local food security is critical in the Kruger Park buffer zone, where the alternatives for protein are either paying for a taxi to town an hour away or poaching game,” said Frazee.

The project also funds invasive plant clearing to protect key water areas, with support from BirdLife South Africa, LIMA and others.

“We are confident that it will significantly improve livelihoods, promote rangeland health, enhance biodiversity and restore water catchments across a large area,” said Frazee.

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