In the warm glow of a Friday morning Zoom call, Bishop Paul Verryn welcomed the PV Network community to their weekly gathering, with dedicated voices dove into heartfelt discussions on climate resilience, community projects, and the art of sustainable living.
What unfolded was a tapestry of shared wisdom, practical updates, and sparks of collaboration, reminding us all that real change blooms from grassroots conversations like these.
The meeting kicked off with Sheila, her passion ignited by a recent presidential summit on climate change.
She painted a vivid picture of the disconnect between high-level talks and everyday realities: "People on the ground see the effects—droughts parching fields, floods washing away hopes—but they don't know what's happening or how to fight back."
Drawing from her advocacy there, Sheila called for embedding climate education into school curricula, linking it directly to food security and agriculture.
"We must teach adaptation and mitigation," she urged, "or these big-room strategies stay locked away from the communities that need them most."
She envisioned the PV Network as a bridge, channeling its wealth of knowledge to fill that gap—perhaps even through church sermons, where messages of stewardship could take root.
Nancy Ncube jumped in with her signature blend of candor and curiosity, wondering aloud if ignorance or indifference fuels the crisis.
"Even in affluent areas, folks are planting thirsty Kikuyu grass from East Africa in our water-scarce land," she said, echoing a long-running chat with Emma. "Is it truly not knowing, or just not caring?"
Sheila nodded thoughtfully, recalling a UN meeting where even insiders brushed off the urgency.
"We need voices on the ground—advocates who say, 'This is us, this is now,'" she replied.
"Ignorance affects us all; let's preserve what we have, starting with water."
Emma Archer, battling a scratchy voice from a departmental bug, lightened the mood by dropping a gem in the chat: a link to the Adaptation Network (adaptionnetwork.org.za).
"They're excellent—rich resources, learning exchanges, and a strong rural reach beyond city limits," she shared. "It's never enough, but it's a start."
Nancy quipped back, "If only common sense were contagious," lamenting how "this is how we've always done it" stifles progress.
Yet she rallied the group: "Wherever we are, let's talk to one, two, three people. Small ripples make waves."
Scott from Sulsa Solutions amplified the call for community-level action, sharing a cautionary tale from his brother's corner of California.
There, aggressive state policies banned fossil fuel cars by 2035 and jacked up gas to nearly $10 a gallon—only to cripple power grids and strand folks without viable alternatives.
"Top-down eco-mandates can backfire," he warned.
"Better to build from the bottom up, with churches and local orgs leading the charge. Individuals can't fight this alone."
John Dearden built on this, emphasizing empathy for those priorities closer to home. "When hunger knocks, climate talk falls quiet," he noted. "That's why we weave in climate-friendly farming—like mulching, water-saving tricks, and low-power tools—that deliver immediate wins for families." These practical tweaks, he explained, shift mindsets by tying planetary health to personal impact.
Transitioning to updates, John shared a mixed bag from the week's fieldwork.
He and Anthony visited the Jabavu group, finding them weighed down by personal hurdles and power outages, their cohesion fraying amid territorial land tussles.
"They're deflated, and motivation's waning," Paul observed, pondering fresh leadership.
John suggested pivoting: localized training on-site could reignite sparks, drawing in new faces.
Brighter news came from Cape Town, where a six-month project greenlit this week expands on successful grow-bag trials.
"Not everyone's a natural grower," John reflected.
"Some shone in sewing those bags or processing food.
So we're splitting sites—eight across the city now—matching skills to needs, from making bags to aggregating produce."
Sheila, her connection flickering but spirit strong, hailed this as vital skills development for youth and women.
"Can we bring it to the Free State?" she asked.
John affirmed: "Absolutely—it's scalable wherever interest grows."
Bonginkosi from Pietermaritzburg, KZN, brought sunny vibes from the Rev Walter Gcabashe Methodist Development Centre for Food Security, despite his lighter attendance amid unshiftable commitments.
Spinach thrives there, sold affordably to church and neighbors, while early-August potatoes promise a bumper crop with summer rains on the horizon. "
Drizzles green the grass, but we're hand-watering the beds," he said.
Maintenance nips at their heels—a broken brush cutter, a sputtering ride-on mower—but optimism prevails.
John inquired about the mushrooms; Bonginkosi sighed, "Security woes paused that—vandals eyed the setup. Sticking to heartier crops for now."
Nancy shifted gears to fundraising frustrations, "Everyone laments 'no money,' but in South Africa?
That's code for corporates dodging their social spend mandates," she challenged.
"If we buy into scarcity, how do we thrive? Perceptions, not facts, hobble us—same as with climate denial."
Her words landed like a gentle nudge: reframe, and doors open wider.
Eudonia Volanie beamed with milestone joy from the CCO. A chance encounter at a function—sitting beside an NGO accountant and his ag-sector wife—propelled their nonprofit company registration to completion.
"Doors await that Nancy mentioned; now we knock," she said excitedly. They're rallying at least 10 for October's agricultural training, seeding a culture of hands-in-soil learning in church and community.
And echoing earlier ripples, potato prices have plunged—from &70 for 7kg bags to R40—"catching up here too," she noted.
Emma cheered, "Great news!" John added, "Volatility's the farmer's foe—plan for swings, but celebrate the drops for eaters."
Judy Bassingthwaighte turned thoughts to Ha Phororo Youth Retreat Center, an hour from Joburg—a haven of lodging, land, and legacy now teetering on funding's edge.
"Three months to hit goals, or it shutters," she shared,
brainstorming youth reconnection to the earth amid youth camps, confirmation retreats, and Taizé-inspired residencies.
Past funders—from Swiss/German churches to Lotto—faded with the founder's retirement, but the vision endures: "Something's incubating here."
She eyed synergies with Scott and John, who leaped in. "Happy to brainstorm—sustainable communities need youth drive,"
Scott said, envisioning matches in commerce, tech, and living. John echoed readiness, remote or in-person.
Paul swiftly formed a chat group, details flying. Nancy offered fundraising ears; Judy laughed, "Grand—link me to Ha Phororo's heartbeat."
Scott wrapped his brief update—"Launching pilots, carrying on"—as Penny demurred on reports. With no final flurries under general business, Bishop Paul closed the circle: "Thanks for your time; see you next week."
This PV gathering wasn't just reports—it was a living ecosystem, where climate laments fed farming fixes, funding woes sparked registrations, and retreat dreams drew collaborative hands.
As we adapt and advocate, one conversation at a time, the network's roots deepen, promising harvests for all. Tune in next for more voices from the soil.
Manana shared an update on her work in eMfuleni region, south of Johannesburg, encouraging Youth and Women to get involved.
Jack Armour from AgriSA FS, shared the G20 Agriculture agenda, which is fully aligned with the aims and goals of this forum and its members who are actively rolling out programs and initiatives with this in mind.
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