Phuhlisani began as a consultancy started by a group of people who wanted to support emerging farmers who obtained access to land through land reform programmes in South Africa. In 2015, after 12 years in operation as a Closed Corporation, the members of the company decided to convert Phuhlisani to a Non-Profit Company which took place in October 2015.

Phuhlisani NPC provides comprehensive services and support for sustainable land reform and rural development including:

• Research and strategy development at national, provincial district and local scales.

• Providing development facilitation and conflict resolution services in complex and contested development settings.

• Providing individual project planning and implementation support.

• Supporting rights determination, strengthening land holding institutions and helping develop functional land rights management systems.

• Developing and strengthening associations representing people acquiring land through the land reform programme.

• Designing comprehensive capacity development strategies and materials.

• Facilitating learning process approaches within institutions and across development programmes.

• Market scoping, agricultural enterprise development and joint venture formation.

Phuhlisani has adopted a trans-disciplinary approach to its work. This involves breaking down the boundaries between so called hard and soft skills, specialist and local knowledge.

The organization believes that this helps to identify solutions which are socially, economically and ecologically sustainable in a context where land and agrarian reform, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and pro poor rural development take place within an increasingly complex and contested national and international environment.