Rustler’s Valley (Part II): What problem do you most want to solve?

“What problem do we most want to solve?”

The question is posed by Gino. Gino Govender has a history of organising and strategy, in trade unions and human rights organisations. His path has led him here, to being one of the founding members of EarthRise Trust, a not-for-profit initiative based on the Earth Charter. The setting of Rustler’s Valley farm and its village, Naledi, is ideal to form and build a model of community organisation. This is about more than Rustler’s: the aim is to get a working, functioning model which can also be used elsewhere.

The journeys of Jay and Kumi Naidoo, fellow trustees of EarthRise Trust, have also brought them here. Jay Naidoo’s book, Change: Organising Tomorrow Today, describes his journey, which includes visits to other countries like Kenya and Bangladesh, to learn from what is happening on the ground there, lessons which culminated in the “Naledi star”. (There are brief notes on Gino Govender, Jay and Kumi Naidoo under the “Trustees & partners” option at http://earthrisetrust.org.za).

Building (photo used courtesy of Earthrise Trust)

Already the foundations of a local economy have been laid on the farm. It includes a brick-making enterprise and a bakery. Medicinal plants are grown and a nursery established which supplies seedlings for the farm and village. Old infrastructure has been resuscitated and expanded, and so Rustler’s hosts a yoga studio and old sweat lodge, and a conference centre with facilities for weddings, workshops and such gatherings. The EarthRise Mountain Lodge offers seven different options for accommodation, and there are mountain bike and hiking routes, fishing and, on a neighbouring farm, horse riding.

Mountain biking (photo used courtesy of Earthrise Trust)

 It has been a journey. Trying to get the papers for the land, registering the Naledi co-operative, getting buy-in from various quarters … The Old Mutual Foundation and Nelson Mandela Foundation have played a part so far, and soon, hopefully, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) will be involved too. Contact has also been made with organised agriculture, and bridges formed with neighbouring farm owners.

In addition to basic food security, space (20ha) is also set out for commercial enterprises. Rustler’s Valley farm previously grew and exported asparagus before being turned into a permaculture food garden to supply lodge and restaurant with food. The land thus has the selling point of not having seen chemical fertilisers or pesticides for over two decades.

“What problem do we most want to solve?”

“A society where no one goes hungry” is Gino’s answer. If you look carefully, the sentence says at all. If you want footnotes or qualifiers, the EarthRise website sets out its philosophy and objectives and broader goals. A complementing perspective is offered by Lucie Pagé, another person linked to the project: “We put the human being first, and everything radiates around that”. She is speaking on a YouTube clip, EarthRise Trust – an overview.

We will be visiting Rustler’s Valley and its Naledi Village Farmer’s Coop in the second last week of June.  Watch this space!