The mission station of Wupperthal lies deep in the Cedarberg mountains, and receives only 125–300 mm of rainfall annually. Geographically, the area is also marginal, located over 80 km from the nearest town, Clanwilliam, along a single-track gravel road which traverses four mountain passes. The region also lies on the provincial border between Northern and Western Cape provinces, which enhances its political marginalisation. Furthermore, the resident population, almost all of whom are either descended from the original Khoisan inhabitants, or are of mixed race, were discriminated against and marginalised by South Africa's apartheid system.

The Wupperthal community was founded in 1827, as a Rhenish mission station located in the high mountain valleys of the Cedarberg. The focal point of the community is the Moravian church (built in 1834), which took over the mission in 1965. The settlement of 2000 people consists of a central village where the church is situated, and 11 ‘out-stations’ or religious meeting points. The rugged topography and arid climate, place serious constraints on farming, such that out of a total land area of 36,000 ha, only 1000 ha is actually workable. Before the start of the rooibos project in 1998, the community had very limited income and over 80% unemployment. Not surprisingly, there was a steady stream of young people leaving the community.

The entire community shares a common language (Afrikaans) and attends the local church. Families have lived in the valley for generations, and have developed remarkable levels of self-sufficiency and resilience, which have fostered high levels of social capital. As one of the community leaders commented, the mission has taught members ‘…to practise economic independence based on one's own resources, but to use it for the common good’. Strong local networks have been crucial in establishing a collaborative business venture.

The community and church, as custodian of the land, formally decided to initiate the rooibos tea project. From a legal perspective, the project was initially run as an ‘association’, though it has since been restructured as a co-operative. Significant infrastructural inputs were required to initiate the project. Collaborative endeavours between the Association and CASIDRA, the provincial government's rural development agency, helped the Association apply to the provincial Reconstruction and Development Programme for R 290,000 in 1997. In 1998, the old tea court was upgraded, a new tractor purchased and a new store built. The provincial Department of Social Services provided R 300,000 in 1999, which was used to enlarge the drying floor to 1000 m2 and to extend the storage shed. The project now functions independently of external funding.

Harvesting takes place in mid-summer (January). The tea is collected from farmers, using the co-operative's tractor and trailer and is then taken to the tea court for processing and drying. The process is labour intensive, since the tea must be turned every 2 hours. When it is thoroughly dry, the tea is sifted and bagged. The tea court employs 14 staff, working up to 18 hours each day during the 4 month processing season from January to April. The tea is sterilised and packaged in Clanwilliam. Most sales are made through a wholesaler.

The co-operative is managed by a community committee, which is democratically elected by the participating farmers at the Annual General Meeting. Since production commenced in 1998, there has been a steady increase both in the number of participating farmers and in rooibos production. In 1999, the Association was registered as an organic producer. Organic production is assured through the addition of animal manure, and use of natural pesticides derived from a local plant known as ‘khakibos’. In 2002, profits reached R102,000. At present, 10 tonnes are harvested from wild plants and over 70 tonnes from plantations. Individual farmers produce between 200 kg and 2 tonnes, employing up to eight labourers, ensuring significant employment benefits in the local community. The co-operative is optimistic about the future and hopes to double its income by initiating sales directly to European retailers. To facilitate this expansion, the co-operative has investigated the option of Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO) registration, which would allow direct sales from the tea court to European retailers using the Fairtrade Mark.

The rooibos initiative has brought considerable benefits to the Wupperthal community, notably

• The participating farmers (170 had joined the co-operative by mid-2006) are now receiving a regular income, often for the first time.
• The project has involved many members of the community, both directly, as farmers, farm labourers and workers at the tea court. Increases in local disposable income are benefiting the local economy.
• The initiative has generated funds for community projects, such as providing an additional staff member for the school and purchasing computers. The Fairtrade premium (0.5 Euro/kg) has enabled the purchase of a 4×4 tractor and the subsidising of school improvements.

The initiative has benefited from the strength of social capital, which exists among this small, isolated mission community and the ability to produce a commodity which is spatially and ecologically limited and has a steadily increasing international market. The community recognises the rare combination of these factors, and a leader commented that, ‘Wupperthal is unique’.

Information sourced from ‘Alternative foods’ and community-based development: Rooibos tea production in South Africa's West Coast Mountains. Written by Etienne Nela, Tony Binnsb and David Bekb. Download full document here