As part of the Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Southern Africa (KHSA) programme in South Africa, in country partners the South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) and Participatory Guarantee Systems South Africa (PGS SA) launched a week-long training programme for Co- Pollinators which started on the 21st of November 2022 in the Western Cape.
The co-pollinator programme is designed to develop additional capacity to support the PGS Pollinators in their work in the field. The combination of a Pollinator and a co-pollinator will enhance the mentorship capacity of members within the establishment of the PGS group and also alleviate the current heavy workload that rests on pollinators with managing the PGS work.
The training was held at a productive olive farm, Goedgedacht, in the Western Cape, to enable participants assimilate the basic production principles, using the SAOSO Organic Standard. Also included in the course material were resources on how PGS works, how to set up a PGS group, the South African organic certification landscape and how to conduct a farm visit. Practical training included making compost, and a farm assessment for certification. The training will also be used as an event to activate and validate Knowledge Products.
PGS SA believes a sustainable PGS group is a shared responsibility of all. 25 participants from 7 provinces took part in the training.
