Pathways to Sustainable Well-being in South Africa

This report presents the main findings of the 2024 fieldwork conducted by the South African team, focusing on sustainable well-being in urban and rural communities in the Limpopo and Western Cape provinces. Through qualitative research methods, including interviews, workshops, and participant observation, the study analysed the experiences of various interviewees from the two case studies: Freshlife Produce (Cape Town) and Jwale Farms (Semaneng Ga Matlala district in Limpopo), other national and provincial government departments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Mlab and CSIR Agrifood processing research groups. The research was guided by the Ubuntu philosophy and green economy frameworks, examining local understandings of well-being, sustainability, and the barriers and drivers that shape community initiatives.

The results reveal a significant gap between national public policies and the realities of the two case studies. This emphasises the importance of recognising diverse worldviews and lived experiences. By highlighting how the sustainability of agrifood systems in South Africa can be influenced, the results contribute to the ToBe Project’s broader goal of developing transformative indicators and integrated policies that support transitions toward sustainable well-being in South Africa and internationally.