tory
Our
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WorthWild tea was born over a cup of (fantastic, aromatic, and flavourful) rooibos. We have a passion for wildlife, and we understand that we need to protect it fiercely. Living in the heart of the South African bushveld, we understand our complete dependence on nature and also how small and trivial we as humans are. In contrast, we see the terrible destruction that we are not only capable of but that some are undertaking and witnessing - in silence.
Haim Shapira said, "It's not really hard to do nothing. Many can. The hard part is doing nothing without feeling guilty about it." Well, we cannot stand by and do nothing.
We do not see rhinos as private property but as a collective responsibility. Nature needs them, and so do we.
Upwards of 42% of rhino is in private ownership today, and the number is increasing. On the other hand, rhino numbers in state-owned parks are plummeting.
A high percentage of funds from NPOs are channelled towards bigger game reserves and state-owned parks like the Kruger National Park. However, private rhino owners are seldomly supported, and the costs to hire a security force, pay veterinarian fees, feed, and more, add up to vast amounts of money. The Covid-19 pandemic plunged more private owners into a financial crisis, and we realize the rhino will pay the ultimate price.
Our goal is to actively assist private rhino owners to combat rhino poaching.
Edmund Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women) to do nothing."
All that you have to do to make a difference is to drink some (extraordinary) tea!
Together, we are making a difference, one cup at a time.
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If you would like a more hands-on approach, please visit our WorthWild Safari Co website to find out how to travel to South Africa and assist us with our project!
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Giving back to the
Environment
Payment of benefits from rooibos to San and Khoi communities a milestone for industrywide collaboration.
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Community
Giving back to
the
The payment of slightly more than R12.2 million to the San and Khoi people of South Africa marks a significant development in the execution of the benefit-sharing agreement for rooibos traditional knowledge that was signed in November 2019.
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms. Barbara Creecy, stated that "the payment of the funds to the two communities is a significant measure of the success of the work being done by the department with sister departments and all relevant stakeholders to successfully implement this pilot phase of the first industry-wide traditional knowledge benefit sharing agreement between the rooibos industry and the Khoi and San communities."
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The department was a major contributor to the nine-year negotiation process that resulted in the signing of the agreement, which is now considered one of South Africa's success stories in the implementation of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA), the Access and Benefit-Sharing Regulations (BABS Regulations), and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization (in short the Nagoya Protocol on ABS).
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Due to the long history of rooibos commercialization in South Africa, it was determined that industry compliance with NEMBA and the related BABS Regulations was crucial. Therefore, the 2019 industry-wide agreement includes a one-year pilot programme via which the 10 processors in the rooibos sector will give the San and Khoi people 1.5% of the farm gate price. An annual levy is used to make this payment.
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