REGIONAL FOCUS: EASTERN CAPE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
WORKING TOWARDS
Water Security A
prolonged drought in the Eastern Cape has had an extensive impact on residents, industry and farmers – so much so that it has given rise to the development of various relief funds, such as that developed by Agri SA. The Agri SA Disaster Relief Foundation has been established to relieve the plight of farmers and farm workers as drought conditions persist. This fund channels donations from the public to assist farmers with feed after being affected by natural disasters. However, responding to the drought requires a holistic approach that requires the maintenance and upgrading of current infrastructure, creating new water supply channels,
and exploring alternative water sources. Persistent drought conditions. In October, dam levels in the province fell below the 50% mark. While the province holds out for summer rainfall, the dwindling water supply has left farmers, industry role players and authorities concerned. The debilitating drought started seven years ago and has left large parts of the province with unprecedented water shortages. Some of the hardest-hit parts of the province include some of the country’s main agricultural areas. While summer rainfall may bring some relief, there is no consensus on when the drought may lift, especially with such low water tables and dam levels requiring extensive rainfall before they show any noticeable recovery. In October 2019, the
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Eastern Cape Government declared a provincial disaster. In July this year, the national government declared the drought a national disaster due to its magnitude and severity. This declaration will allow the national government to coordinate the response to the drought and will require various state organs to implement contingency plans. Water storage levels are continuing to decline, a situation that has been ongoing for months due to a lack of rain in the province. This has caused farmers to worry they may suffer livestock losses due to the prolonged drought. While low rainfall remains at the heart of the drought, failing infrastructure has also worsened the problem.
