Food & Trees for Africa (FTA), a leading South African social enterprise spearheading environmental sustainability and food security, is partnering with the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP) and the Alexandra Water Warriors (AWW) and distributing 20,000 trees to homes in Alexandra and Lombardy East townships.

As part of this initiative, FTA will train local environmental champions to act as Community Educators (CEs). These individuals will receive specialised training in climate change, tree care, environmental ethics, and community engagement to ensure the success of this ambitious project over the next six months.

The partnership is part of the Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SUNCASA) project. SUNCASA aims to enhance resilience, gender equality, social inclusion, and biodiversity protection in Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South African urban communities. 

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) implement the project with funding from Global Affairs of Canada. 

The Trees for Homes (TFH) programme is FTA’s flagship urban forestry initiative. Launched in 1992, it was South Africa’s first township greening project. 

Under this initiative, households in Alexandra and Lombardy East will each receive fruit and indigenous trees, with substitutions for additional fruit trees if needed. The trees will provide fresh fruit while improving air quality, combating soil erosion, and supporting biodiversity in urban areas.

FTA’s approach places communities at the heart of its projects. A team of 25 Community Educators (CEs) from the AWW will oversee tree planting, ensuring that households are prepared to care for their new trees. FTA has managed ongoing monitoring and evaluation, using innovative tools to track tree survival rates and provide ongoing support to recipients.

“Our CEs are integral to the success of every project,” says Robyn Hills, FTA’s head of programmes. “By equipping local champions with skills in urban forestry and environmental stewardship, we empower them to create lasting change in their communities. The Warriors are already doing this; now we’re scaling up,” she adds.

Graduates of the training receive a certificate of participation, equipping them for future employment opportunities in the growing green economy.

Sustainable communities

This project is part of a broader vision to create sustainable, resilient communities in South Africa. The SUNCASA partnership integrates tree planting with capacity building, addressing pressing environmental and social challenges while contributing to global climate goals.

In Munsieville, Hammarsdale, and QwaQwa, FTA’s past interventions have left a legacy of vibrant green spaces and empowered communities. With this new collaboration, Alexandra and Lombardy East are poised to become leading examples of sustainable township greening in South Africa.

Food & Trees for Africa is South Africa’s first social enterprise dedicated to environmental sustainability, food security, and social justice. Through its flagship programmes, including Trees for Homes, FTA has planted millions of trees, improved urban and rural landscapes, and trained thousands of community educators, lasting impacting South Africa’s people and environment.