Cane to clean: Small-scale farmers in KZN lead SA’s greener sugar future

For KwaZulu-Natal sugarcane farmer Mazwi Simelane, farming is more than work — it’s a calling.

“God gives us the land and when you plant a seed in the ground, you must have faith and pray for it to grow,” he said. “That’s what I enjoy most watching how something small can become a blessing through hard work, interventions and God’s grace.”

Simelane, who farms with Makhatini Sugarcane, was among small-scale growers and experts, who recently gathered in Jozini for a two-day workshop convened by the United Nations in South Africa, with technical leadership from the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and support from the Joint SDG Fund.

There, the South African Farmers Development Association (Safda) noted that small-scale sugarcane growers have halved over the past two decades – from 50 000 to 25 000 — amid high costs, unequal markets and structural barriers.

Greening the sugarcane sector

The workshop concluded with a co-created roadmap to advance regenerative farming, integrate clean energy and climate-smart technology and explore green finance and carbon credits to attract investment, among others.

Aligned with the South African Sugarcane Industry Master Plan, the roadmap aims to reposition sugarcane as a diversified, globally competitive and sustainable industry. 

A key tangible outcome was agreement on a pilot decentralised processing project to reduce emissions while producing electricity, bio-oil and ethanol – “an initiative with strong replication potential across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond”.

Participants agreed that small-scale sugarcane farmers, long constrained by structural inequalities, could emerge as leaders in climate-smart agriculture. With innovation, partnerships and institutional support, their future “looks not only sweeter but greener.”

For Simelane, the initiative offers hope. “We acknowledge that the way the industry has been needs to reform and be inclusive of us sugarcane farmers on the ground. This masterplan gives us hope because there are so many other products that sugarcane can produce, – but we need support from larger organisations. 

“In the long run, this benefits us. We need support and knowledge in how to transition to low carbon emissions. We currently only focus on sugar cane production and want to tap into other products that sugarcane can produce.”

From waste to renewable wealth

The workshop concluded with a co-created roadmap to advance regenerative farming, integrate clean energy and climate-smart technology and explore green finance and carbon credits to attract investment, among others.

Aligned with the South African Sugarcane Industry Master Plan, the roadmap aims to reposition sugarcane as a diversified, globally competitive and sustainable industry. 

A key tangible outcome was agreement on a pilot decentralised processing project to reduce emissions while producing electricity, bio-oil and ethanol – “an initiative with strong replication potential across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond”.

Participants agreed that small-scale sugarcane farmers, long constrained by structural inequalities, could emerge as leaders in climate-smart agriculture. With innovation, partnerships and institutional support, their future “looks not only sweeter but greener.”

For Simelane, the initiative offers hope. “We acknowledge that the way the industry has been needs to reform and be inclusive of us sugarcane farmers on the ground. This masterplan gives us hope because there are so many other products that sugarcane can produce, – but we need support from larger organisations. 

“In the long run, this benefits us. We need support and knowledge in how to transition to low carbon emissions. We currently only focus on sugar cane production and want to tap into other products that sugarcane can produce.”

From waste to renewable wealth

South Africa’s sugarcane industry is both a vital economic contributor and a potential catalyst for climate-smart development, according to a concept note by the United Nations in South Africa and the Joint SDG Fund. 

But it faces growing pressure to decarbonise and diversify amid climate change, energy insecurity and the economic marginalisation of small-scale farmers.

A longstanding practice – burning cane leaves (trash) before harvest – has come under scrutiny for its environmental impact. While the method saves labour, it releases large quantities of carbon emissions and discards organic material that could be used as a renewable energy source.

Recent studies show that sugarcane trash has untapped potential. “The waste can be transformed into energy through bioenergy technologies such as gasification or anaerobic digestion, reducing emissions while boosting farm income, stimulating rural economies and improving energy access – particularly in off-grid communities.”

However, this potential remains largely unrealised in South Africa, especially among smallholder farmers who lack the technical, financial and institutional support to adopt these innovations. Challenges include limited access to capital for biomass processing technologies, inadequate infrastructure and a lack of supportive policies or incentives. 

Despite these hurdles, the “opportunity is profound”. South Africa’s sugarcane trash output is substantial, with estimates suggesting that millions of tonnes of biomass are discarded annually. 

If harnessed, this could power decentralised energy systems, reduce the national carbon footprint, and unlock new revenue streams for marginalised growers. Countries such as Brazil and India have made significant strides in using cane by-products for electricity and biogas, offering models for South Africa.

Powering opportunities for small-holders

Ricardo Gottschalk, an economist at the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in South Africa, said the UN Joint SDG Fund project – titled The South Africa Joint Strategy on Just Energy Transition – aims to facilitate a low-carbon transition that is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.

“At its core, the project seeks to ensure that marginalised and vulnerable groups, such as coal-dependent workers, women, youth and smallholder farmers, are not left behind in the transition,” he said.

He said it places strong emphasis on the “just” dimension of the transition, with current focus areas including greening the sugarcane industry, advancing gender-responsive energy transitions and ensuring inclusive benefits from green hydrogen value chains.

Rather than directly funding pilot projects, Gottschalk explained, the initiative plays a “catalytic role” – convening expertise, entrepreneurs and “forward-thinking stakeholders to co-create practical, scalable solutions”.

Nokwazi Moyo, a sustainable development expert at Unido, said one of the outcomes from the workshop will be a scoping document to guide resource mobilisation for two pilot sites — one in Jozini and the other in Nkomati, Mpumalanga.

“There were indications that some of the partners who presented at the workshop had an interest in supporting initiatives emanating from the workshop.”

Gottschalk said the number of farmers engaged will depend largely on the mobilisation capacity of Safda and other partners. As to why sugarcane was chosen, he pointed to two key factors: transformational potential and strategic location.

“The sugarcane sector offers significant opportunities to adopt new technologies and innovative practices that enhance efficiency and reduce emissions.” 

Sweeter future 

This creates pathways for small-scale farmers to diversify into higher-value products, expand their businesses and actively benefit from the green transition. 

Sugarcane is also a major agricultural activity in Mpumalanga, the country’s coal heartland. “Strengthening and decarbonising the sugarcane sector in this region could help absorb some of the economic and employment impacts of the coal phase-out.”

Moyo added the sugarcane value chain is central to a “just transition” from current greenhouse gas-intensive practices, mainly the burning of trash before cutting. 

“The ‘just’ aspect of transitioning will factor in technologies that can be adopted by the farmers without undue negative effects that may render the production of sugarcane non-viable.

“The particular technologies and solutions discussed are relevant and appropriate for small-scale growers, who are currently deprived of such options. Their large-scale commercial counterparts are in the vicinity of sugar mills and already have better opportunities to valorise by-products such as bagasse.”

Gottschalk said the project also intends to engage financial regulators and banking associations to address barriers to finance faced by smallholder farmers. “The new initiatives are intended to be additional rather than substitutive, expanding sugarcane production into currently unused land.

“Farmers will not be expected to take on this transition alone — they will be backed by a coalition of committed partners with the knowledge, technical expertise and resources to maximise success.”

Mchenge Nyoka, the national project coordinator at Unido, said the initiative aligns with its decarbonisation and inclusive development agenda, by converting sugarcane waste into bioenergy, reducing emissions and fostering rural livelihoods. 

“Focused on smallholder farmers in Jozini, it promotes clean energy access, circular economy practices and equitable participation in green value chains.”

Hope for the next harvest

Farming in Jozini is not easy, Simelane noted. “Climate change has affected us because the sun gets too hot, Eskom costs have become so high, we are not making profits like we used to … The weather is much hotter and rainfall is not as common. When we burn waste and generate electricity from it, this would reduce costs.”

His hopes are clear. “For us to be part of the larger value chain as renewable energy will allow us to increase yield of sugar and other products. We are suffering and need a new plan to help us be more sustainable in future.

“If we farm well and follow all guides for farming with support, we will be able to sustain not only ourselves and farms but expand and increase our sustainability in the sector.”

Small-scale farmers were struggling previously but organisations such as Safda and the UN have intervened, “giving us hope to look forward to our discussions and the masterplan coming to life.

“The interventions would empower us economically to provide for our families and create better education opportunities for our children. Without money, we cannot do anything.”

First published by: Green Guardian - Mail & Guardian https://mg.co.za/the-green-guardian/2025-10-18-cane-to-clean-small-scale-farmers-in-kzn-lead-sas-greener-sugar-future/

Written by: Sheree Bega