“Land is the blanket that covers our naked body” - Quote from Rev. Sammy Muller (Methodist cleric, Namaqualand)
During the past 30 years SPP has been able to register and demonstrate many achievements that contributed towards the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of men and women (particularly in rural areas):
WHAT ARE OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
During the past 30 years SPP has been able to register and demonstrate many achievements that contributed towards the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of men and women (particularly in rural areas):
Instrumental in the mobilisation of communities in the Namaqualand district which resulted in the transfer of 400 000 hectares of land and tenure reform.
Involved in the mobilisation of the community of Elandskloof that resulted in land transfer to community in one of the first restitution claims settled in 1996.
Assisted more than 100 local organisations/ farmers association through social sand development practice to gain access to private and municipal commonage land in the Northern and Western Cape.
In 2008 were able to mobilize over 800 rural farm dwellers and emerging farmers, in partnership with other civil society partners, to march against the slow pace of land agrarian reform.
Supported and built the Right to Agrarian Reform for Food Sovereignty Campaign (FSC), a movement bringing together more than 1500 landless, farm workers / dwellers, small-scale farmers and rural dwellers all struggling for land, water and food sovereignty.
Contributed towards women’s active participation in leadership, in policy articulation and in community mobilisation and networks towards greater inclusion in changing the patriarchal and male-dominated nature of movements and local initiatives through women directed spaces, workshops, exchanges and organising.
Contributed towards about 300 young people’s understanding of agrarian reform and stimulating them taking up issues of land, food and social justice.
Supported and enhanced local initiatives and organisations to lead their own struggles and campaigns in various forms capable of articulating their own interests; in over 40 communities, over two provinces and 12 municipal areas
Placed agroecology and food sovereignty in the national domain as an alternative to the dominant industrial agriculture model through national dialogues & workshops attended by over 40 different organisations from South Africa, Brazil, India, Zimbabwe & Ethiopia.
Fostered strategic partnerships and alliances with organisations working with land and agrarian reform issues both nationally and internationally
Contributed to research and appropriate advocacy strategies towards policy changes and in relation to land and agrarian reform aimed at all spheres of government