Women are increasingly taking the lead in conservation, livestock farming and sustainable land management across South Africa’s communal rangelands, demonstrating how rural communities can combine agricultural production with environmental stewardship.

As South Africa marks National Women’s Day on 9 August, the contribution of rural women to agriculture and conservation is receiving renewed attention. Their growing leadership reflects the spirit of the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in 1956 to oppose apartheid pass laws.

Today, that legacy of resilience is being reflected in rural communities where women are helping shape more sustainable approaches to livestock production, rangeland management and conservation.

At the centre of this movement is Meat Naturally Africa (MNA), a farmer-owned social enterprise that has spent the past decade developing a model that connects communal livestock farmers with formal markets while encouraging improved grazing, fire management and land stewardship.

Putting Communities at the Centre of Conservation

Meat Naturally Africa was founded by Sarah Frazee following a career in conservation that included work in Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar and South Africa.

Her experience highlighted a major challenge facing conservation in the country: much of South Africa’s biodiversity exists outside formally protected areas, on land where communities live and farm.

Frazee argues that conservation strategies focused only on national parks and game reserves overlook important landscapes where agriculture and biodiversity coexist.

This led to the development of a model that places livestock farmers at the centre of conservation by creating economic incentives for improved land management.

Since its establishment, MNA has facilitated more than R134 million in livestock sales, worked with more than 10,000 communal farmers and supported the restoration of hundreds of thousands of hectares of communal rangeland.

The organisation now operates across approximately 180 communities and 580,000 hectares of communal rangeland.

Women at The Heart of Regenerative Agriculture

Women are playing an increasingly important role in this model.

Through MNA’s GRASS carbon programme, women account for around 35% of registered livestock farmers. They participate in decisions involving grazing plans, livestock health and broader land management.

Women also make up almost one-third of approximately 600 herders currently being trained for long-term careers in rangeland management.

Their participation is significant in a sector that has traditionally been dominated by men.

For Frazee, women’s involvement is closely connected to their role within rural households and communities. Their concern about the condition of land and natural resources for future generations can help drive greater adoption of sustainable farming practices.

The approach demonstrates how regenerative agriculture can extend beyond farming techniques to include community leadership, economic participation and long-term environmental management.

Wool Creates New Rural Opportunities

MNA is also using the wool industry to create additional opportunities for rural women through its Fleece Naturally Africa programme.

Women account for approximately half of participating farmers and receive support through mobile shearing services, as well as training in wool grading, spinning and felting.

The programme is designed to increase the amount of value retained within rural communities by helping farmers develop skills that allow them to participate further along the wool value chain.

For agricultural communities, this type of value addition can provide additional income opportunities while strengthening local participation in formal markets.

Women Take the Lead on Wildfire Awareness

Women are also being trained to play a greater role in wildfire prevention.

Since 2025, the Women in Wool Against Wildfire initiative has trained 44 women and young people across nine communities to become fire-awareness champions.

Participants educate schools and local communities about fire prevention while gaining additional knowledge about wool production and pricing.

The programme recognises the influence women can have as caregivers, educators and community leaders, particularly when it comes to protecting households and communal land from veld fires.

By combining agricultural education with conservation awareness, the initiative aims to strengthen community resilience while creating new leadership opportunities for women.

Connecting Livestock Farming with Conservation

MNA’s approach extends beyond livestock production and wool.

Through MN Kruger Meats, meat purchased from local farmers is sold to visitors in the Kruger National Park buffer zone, creating a market opportunity for communal livestock producers.

The initiative also supports surrounding communities through meat donations to an early childhood development school located near the park.

Youth development is another component of the organisation’s work. Its three-year EcoRanger Apprenticeship provides training in grazing coordination, livestock monitoring and fire management, helping young people develop practical skills for careers in conservation and sustainable agriculture.

A Larger Vision for African Agriculture

Meat Naturally Africa’s ambitions extend beyond its current footprint.

The organisation aims to expand its work to one million hectares in South Africa by 2028 and five million hectares across Africa by 2030.

The model highlights the potential for communal livestock farming to contribute simultaneously to food production, rural incomes, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.

It also demonstrates the importance of putting farmers and communities at the centre of conservation strategies rather than treating them simply as beneficiaries of environmental programmes.

For rural women in particular, greater participation in livestock production, conservation and agricultural value chains could create new pathways to income, leadership and economic independence.

As Africa looks for more sustainable approaches to agricultural development, the experience of South Africa’s communal rangelands provides an example of how conservation and agriculture can work together.

The growing leadership of women in these landscapes is equally significant. Their involvement shows that the future of sustainable agriculture will depend not only on new technologies and farming practices, but also on empowering the people who manage Africa’s land and natural resources every day.