70 research outputs found
Report on the combined workshop of water institutions in the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
No full textThis report covers Deliverable 1 of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
(BGCMA) project entitled ‘Improving institutional support to emerging farmers for improved
livelihoods in the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Area’. The project emanates from the
Water Research Commission (WRC) Project 2310 entitled ‘Approaches for Emerging Farmer
Participation in Water Resource Management: The Case of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment
Management Agency (BGCMA), Western Cape. Both projects are run by the Water and
Agriculture Niche Area at the Centre for Water and Sanitation Research, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology. The WRC project aims to develop an ideal approach for involving
emerging farmers in water resources management. Since October 2015 water institutions in the
BGCMA became active participants in the WRC project. This led to the development of the
BGCMA proposal is response to the recently signed BGCMA/CPUT funding Memorandum of
Understanding. The water institutions identified a number of critical challenges that hamper
effective support to emerging farmers, with lack of information being identified as one of the major
problems. The water institutions, with the involvement of farmers, therefore decided to develop
ways that could make information more accessible to farmers. Therefore the compilation of a
farmer support information package was proposed, followed by information roadshows. A
combined water dialogue was held with emerging farmers and water institutions during the annual
BGCMA/Cape Peninsula University of Technology Water Seminar in March 2016 where
participants brainstormed the approaches to compiling the package. This report covers
proceedings of a recent follow-up combined institutions/emerging farmer water dialogue held at
the BGCMA on the 19th August 2016.
The workshop was held at the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency Offices in
Worcester, on the 19th August 26, 2016. The main objectives of the workshop were to present
what had been collected so far in compiling the information and also discuss ideas for the road
shows. The following institutions attended the dialogue, Cape Peninsula University of Technology
(CPUT), Department of Water and Sanitation, Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
(BGCMA), Western Cape Department of Agriculture (DoA), Hex Valley Water User Association
(HVWUA), Rural Development & Land Reform (DRLDR), African Farmers' Association of South
Africa (AFASA) and Theewaterskloof Municipality (see also Figure 2, participant list also
attached)
Report on the combined workshop of water institutions in the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
No full textThis report covers Deliverable 1 of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
(BGCMA) project entitled ‘Improving institutional support to emerging farmers for improved
livelihoods in the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Area’. The project emanates from the
Water Research Commission (WRC) Project 2310 entitled ‘Approaches for Emerging Farmer
Participation in Water Resource Management: The Case of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment
Management Agency (BGCMA), Western Cape. Both projects are run by the Water and
Agriculture Niche Area at the Centre for Water and Sanitation Research, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology. The WRC project aims to develop an ideal approach for involving
emerging farmers in water resources management. Since October 2015 water institutions in the
BGCMA became active participants in the WRC project. This led to the development of the
BGCMA proposal is response to the recently signed BGCMA/CPUT funding Memorandum of
Understanding. The water institutions identified a number of critical challenges that hamper
effective support to emerging farmers, with lack of information being identified as one of the major
problems. The water institutions, with the involvement of farmers, therefore decided to develop
ways that could make information more accessible to farmers. Therefore the compilation of a
farmer support information package was proposed, followed by information roadshows. A
combined water dialogue was held with emerging farmers and water institutions during the annual
BGCMA/Cape Peninsula University of Technology Water Seminar in March 2016 where
participants brainstormed the approaches to compiling the package. This report covers
proceedings of a recent follow-up combined institutions/emerging farmer water dialogue held at
the BGCMA on the 19th August 2016.
The workshop was held at the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency Offices in
Worcester, on the 19th August 26, 2016. The main objectives of the workshop were to present
what had been collected so far in compiling the information and also discuss ideas for the road
shows. The following institutions attended the dialogue, Cape Peninsula University of Technology
(CPUT), Department of Water and Sanitation, Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
(BGCMA), Western Cape Department of Agriculture (DoA), Hex Valley Water User Association
(HVWUA), Rural Development & Land Reform (DRLDR), African Farmers' Association of South
Africa (AFASA) and Theewaterskloof Municipality (see also Figure 2, participant list also
attached)
Developing a farmer information package: a success story
No full textAfter many years of water allocation reform, emerging farmers are still lagging behind as far as equity and access to water resources is concerned, and their participation in water user associations is still limited or passive. Recent collaboration between researchers and the water sector aimed to improve this situation in the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Area
Indigenous knowledge perspectives on water management and its challenges in South Africa
No full textIndigenous knowledge is defined as the unique, traditional, local knowledge existing
within, and developed around the specific conditions of women and men indigenous to a geographic area (Greiner, 1998). The knowledge is normally embedded in the community and is
unique to a given culture, location, or society (De Guchteneire, Krukkert, & von Liebenstein,
1999). Indigenous knowledge is not an artifact, that can be simply preserved, but a record of
what has been lost to the seemingly inevitable march of Western science; therefore, there are
now calls for the inclusion of local voices and priorities, and promises of empowerment
through ownership of the process (Briggs & Sharp, 2004; Jupp, Ali, & Barahona, 2010).
Indigenous knowledge is increasingly discussed by all as a commodity, something of value,
something that can be value-added, something that can be exchanged, traded, appropriated,
preserved, and something that can be excavated and mined (Appleby, 2004).
Indigenous knowledge is now playing a huge role in the preservation of natural resources
such as land and water. Knowledge of the environment is being lost in communities around
the world, and there is an urgent need to conserve this knowledge to help develop mechanisms to protect the earth’s biological diversity (Battiste, 2005). Incorporating indigenous
knowledge into climate change policies can lead to the development of effective adaptation
strategies that are cost-effective, participatory, and sustainable (Ajani, 2013). Countries such
as South Africa are facing huge challenges of access to water and water scarcity. Some of the
answers lie in the conservation of water resources such as springs and wetlands that
have seen decades of destruction. There are estimates that between 35% and 60% of wetlands in South Africa are already lost or severely degraded, while more than 50% have
been lost, and of those that remain, 33% are in poor ecological condition (Water and
Sanitation Master Plan, 2018).
This chapter gives an outline of the history of water resources management in South Africa,
including how indigenous communities lost access to the resource. This is followed by an
exploration of pockets of indigenous knowledge systems in water management in South
Africa, including the challenges faced by communities in efforts to participate in the preservation of the resource, which is becoming more and more scarce as the climate change
threat increases. The chapter concludes with some recommendations that South Africa can
adopt to improve the role of indigenous knowledge in water management
The rhetoric of community participation in urban South African water governance
No full textThe persistence of the water insecurity challenge has manifested in weak government financial systems, insufficient
technical capacity, and ineffective water governance systems in the global arena. This paper is a
contextual analysis of community participation in water governance in urban South Africa since 1994. Limited
community participation in urban water governance results in persistent inequality in access to water and
sanitation services. New strategies and effective mechanisms are needed to include communities in water
governance and pricing
Agricultural water access conflicts among smallholder farmers in the Western Cape, South Africa
No full textDespite extensive legal reforms to democratise water governance, smallholder farmers in South Africa face challenges in accessing productive water. This paper describes water access conflicts among smallholder farmers in fourteen (14) historical rural towns in the Western Cape. The study examined how historical injustices, socio-economic disparities, environmental concerns, and colonial legacies have influenced current water governance and access mechanisms. Using a qualitative-exploratory framework, smallholder farmers were interviewed one-on-one (n = 119) and through focus group discussions (n = 51) to explore their understanding of water governance and agricultural water access conflicts. The findings from participant narratives were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti. The study found that historical inequities, inadequate infrastructure, differing social identities, and exclusion from decision-making perpetuate water access disparities among smallholder farmers, leading to resource conflicts. Climate change has impacted farmers, who have limited adaptive capacity due to land ownership constraints and water access barriers. Participants highlighted how these systemic issues converge to undermine investment in water-saving technologies, sustain cycles of vulnerability, and create the potential for in-group and out-group conflicts. A nuanced understanding of how social identity, particularly ‘intra-ethnicity’, and land ownership influence water access is needed. We recommend equitable water allocation mechanisms, community-based participatory governance, and investments in infrastructure to mitigate conflicts and promote sustainable water management
Emerging farmer challenges, needs and opportunities for accessing water resources. A Case Study of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
No full textThe report covers Deliverable 6 of the Water Research Commission Project 2310 entitled ‘Approaches for Emerging Farmer Participation in Water Resource Management: The Case of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA), Western Cape. The project aims to eventually develop an ideal approach for involving emerging farmers in water resources management. The original objectives of the Deliverable 6 report were to document emerging farmer challenges, needs and opportunities for accessing water resources. However, since October 2015 the project took a very interesting turn, when water institutions decided to become active participants in the project. Therefore, more workshops than originally planned have been conducted so far, with additional funding from the BGCMA. The institutions identified a number of critical challenges that hamper effective support to emerging farmers, with lack of information being identified as one of the major problems. The water institutions, with the involvement of farmers, therefore decided to develop ways that could make information more accessible to farmers.
The report is divided into two sections, covering activities that have been carried out since the submission of Deliverable 5. The first section reports the deliberations of a combined water dialogue held with emerging farmers and water institutions during the annual BGCMA/Cape Peninsula University of Technology Water Seminar in March 2016. The second report covers proceedings of a recent combined institutions/emerging farmer water dialogue held at the BGCMA on the 19th August 2016
Smallholder farmer coping and adaptation strategies for agricultural water use during drought periods in the Overberg and West Coast Districts, Western Cape, South Africa
No full textDrought is one of the most significant disasters affecting farm productivity in South Africa, with the Western Cape Province among the most affected areas. Smallholder farmers usually suffer the most due to limited resources. The study identified agricultural water use coping and adaptation strategies adopted by both crop and livestock smallholder farmers in the West Coast and Overberg districts during the recent 2015–2018 drought. Interviews were conducted with 100 smallholder farmers and 11 focus group discussions were held in the two districts. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, while qualitative data were analysed using Atlas.ti. Furthermore, the Hyogo Framework of Action was used to analyse the support that smallholder farmers had received and to understand how smallholder farmers could be effectively supported to promote the adoption of proactive strategies to deal with drought in the short and long term. It was found that the 2015–2018 drought occurred when smallholder farmers from both districts were least expecting it and were unprepared. In the West Coast District, the main coping strategies included using borehole water and selling livestock. In the Overberg District, smallholder farmers coped by purchasing fodder and transporting water from sources such as the river and dam to the farms. Several smallholder farmers in both districts did not implement any adaptation strategies. They were largely unaware of proactive agricultural water use strategies that could bolster their resilience to drought. Recommendations for the future include the adoption of drip irrigation, mulching, growing vegetables with shorter growing periods and changing planting dates. For livestock farmers, adaptation strategies include drilling boreholes and grazing management. There is also a need for early warning systems to improve the drought preparedness of smallholder farmers
Review of drought coping and adaptation strategies in dryland cropping systems, irrigation, livestock and mixed systems
No full textThis report is Deliverable 2 of the Water Research Commission Project 2602 entitled “Coping and adaptation strategies for agricultural water use during drought periods”.
The report starts by defining vulnerability to drought. This is followed by a brief history of drought in South Africa, then an outline of the role of early warning systems. The report then gives examples of coping and adaptation strategies adopted by selected countries.
A number of strategies in water use in agriculture that have been implemented by South Africa are then described in the report. Drought resistant and new crop varieties and improved agronomic practices were identified in rainfed systems. Many strategies were implemented in irrigation, including scheduling, drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting and infrastructure maintenance. Strategies in livestock included creating fodder banks and pasture management.
South Africa drilled many boreholes to provide water for both agriculture and domestic use during the recent drought, showing the importance of the groundwater resource in agriculture
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