The market growth of Rooibos has been dramatic during the past decade. Promoted as the healthy alternative, it is on the menu at Starbucks, in the ‘red tea’ Snapple in international convenience stores, and available on retail shelves around the world. This would be good news, particularly for the hardworking farmers, if it were not for the worrying rate of threatened habitat transformation associated with Rooibos production. In response to this threat the South African Rooibos Council launched the Right Rooibos initiative, which is aimed at fostering sustainable practices in the production and sale of Rooibos. Initially the focus was on the promotion of biodiversity conservation on Rooibos farms, and the Biodiversity Best Practice for Sustainable Rooibos Production* was published as a guideline for producers. During 2011 two more important documents were published namely the Right Rooibos Sustainability Standard and the Handbook for Implementing Rooibos Sustainability Standards. Broader sustainability issues are now addressed but with some emphasis on the natural environment and ecosystem services.

*Please visit our Library to access the Biodiversity Guidelines, the Right Rooibos Sustainability Standard and the Handbook for Implementing Rooibos Sustainability Standards.

Social and Environmental Sustainability issues

Rooibos is produced in two Global Biodiversity Hotspots, the Succulent Karoo and the Cape Floristic Kingdom. As a result Rooibos production must comply with the central objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to which South Africa is a signatory. These objectives are the conservation of biodiversity, its sustainable use, and the equitable sharing of benefits. The issue of sustainability has also been highlighted by recent studies that found the Rooibos industry at risk from climate change and the resultant instability of agricultural production. Sustainability as detailed in the vision statement of the Rooibos Council depends on four aspects which are interrelated and interdependent. These are environmental integrity, economic growth, social equity, and good governance by both the industry and organs of state.

Market research by Green Choice Alliance shows that informed consumers are increasingly aware of accelerating environmental degradation and social issues and are looking to support products with ethical credentials. It follows then that sustainability is recognised as a valuable brand enhancement and sourcing unsustainably farmed Rooibos - from the most floristically diverse area on earth - could seriously damage the reputation of associated brands.

Right Rooibos has thus begun to address the sustainability “triple bottom line” of people, planet and profit by defining what best practice is for Rooibos production, developing mechanisms to promote its implementation, and providing assistance with implementation.

Right Rooibos aims to:

•  Provide a framework for the industry to engage with government;
•  Develop and maintain a set of sustainability guidelines for the Rooibos industry;
•  Promote the implementation of the sustainability standards and guidelines through a system of champions;
• Engage with other standards and certifying bodies who get involved with certification and labeling of Rooibos to protect the industry’s interests;
• Provide tools, technical assistance and extension services to Rooibos producers to implement sustainable practices and conserve biodiversity;
• Promote stewardship of natural areas, corridors, threatened ecosystems, natural water resources, Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA) and Ecological Support Areas (ESA);
• Facilitate the development of Environmental Management Plans for production units to inform stewardship, conservation efforts and joint planning processes for expansion to minimise loss of threatened habitat;
• Develop economic opportunities and social benefits for those in the industry; 
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure integrity and credibility;
• Intensify marketing and communication, creating a visible media profile; and
• Undertake or facilitate research to determine the requirements for sustainable Rooibos production.

MANAGEMENT:

The Right Rooibos initiative is overseen by Dawie de Villiers, the Rooibos Council’s director for natural resources, and managed by Gerhard Pretorius of Natura Libra Environmental Services CC as project manager. The initiative’s activities are guided by a technical task team representing various industry stakeholders as well as environmental conservation agencies and government departments. 

Dawie	Gerhard
Tel: +27 (0)21 982 5030	Tel: +27 (0)22 482 1500 +27 (0)82 450 2571
Email: dawie@rooibostea.co.za	Email: gerhard@naturalibra.co.za