How South Africa’s Citrus Industry Supports Communities | Ep. 159

Recorded at the 2026 CRI Citrus Research Symposium, Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie speak with Sive Silo, Programme and Project Manager at Citrus Academy and Orange Heart Coordinator for the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA). Orange Heart is the CGA’s community-development initiative, providing a structured way for the citrus industry to support communities in and around South Africa’s citrus-growing regions. One of its key initiatives is the Orange Heart Fruit Drive, through which surplus citrus is distributed to established beneficiary organisations rather than going to waste. But its work extends much further.Sive discusses Orange Heart’s involvement in early childhood development centres, youth initiatives, after-school programmes, sports projects and other community-development projects across citrus-producing regions. She also explains how the initiative works with established organisations that already understand the needs within their communities. The conversation includes the story of a youth football programme supported by Orange Heart, assistance provided during the COVID-19 period and the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal unrest, and a more recent project addressing mental-health support for agricultural workers.Sive also reflects on the role growers themselves play in their communities — from supporting childcare facilities and schools to helping create environments in which farm employees and their families can access practical support. In this episode: • What Orange Heart is and how it developed • How surplus citrus is redistributed through the Fruit Drive • Supporting ECD centres and schools in citrus-growing communities • Youth development and after-school programmes • The role of beneficiary organisations in identifying genuine community needs • Community support during COVID-19 and the 2021 KZN unrest • Mental-health support for agricultural workers • How citrus growers can contribute surplus fruit, resources or funding • Sive Silo’s journey from a legal background into the citrus industry Sive also explains how growers who identify needs within their own communities can engage with Orange Heart to explore ways of providing support through established structures. About Sive SiloSive Silo is Programme and Project Manager at Citrus Academy. She also coordinates Orange Heart for the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa and serves as liaison for the Citrus Grower Development Chamber. Connect with us:Website: https://lucentlands.co.za/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucentlandsmedia/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucentlandsmedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucentlandsmedia/ Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/lucentlandspodcast Support this podcast by buying us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/lucentlands?new=1This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius. Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm\_source=lucentlands&utm\_medium=referral&utm\_campaign=LucentLandsPromo⁠Visit our agricultural stock site: https://lucentlands.smugmug.com/