Crowdfunding for community transitions in water, energy, and food: Exploring investment willingness in South Africa

The study assessed the willingness of communities to invest and fund sustainability and just transition initiatives, such as a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) community, through crowdfunding. This has been prompted by underfunding in community-level sustainability initiatives, and the undetermined willingness of communities to invest in such initiatives. The study utilised a community-based survey of 126 households in Dikeni (formerly Alice) to assess the investment and crowdfunding potential for a WEF-community initiative in South Africa. The results showed that females were more likely to support the establishment of a WEF-community in their area. Furthermore, most households that wanted a WEF-community established had higher educational and income levels. On average, respondents were willing to invest R304.90 (US$16.65) per month. The analysis revealed that household income was a significant factor in determining willingness to invest, while WEF expenditures were significant in determining the amount households were willing to invest. The study also identified that motivation and personality were significant factors in willingness to invest. The study concluded that households are willing to invest in a WEF-community primarily driven by monetary factors. It is recommended that a WEF-community initiative be established, with community-level funding being used to leverage additional investment. Further studies can provide a mechanism through which community-level funding can be leveraged with institutional-level funding, and a legal analysis can further articulate the legal hurdles that can be faced in establishing a WEF-community. • Willingness-to-invest R304.90 (US$16.65) per month in WEF community initiative • Incomes and expenditure drive willingness-to-invest in WEF community initiative • Community level investment can be leveraged to fund just transition initiatives • Further studies on complementing local and institutional financing • Legal analysis on hurdles to establish a WEF community required