Exploring water quality and farmers' perceptions about water and food security in the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme

Abstract

Food insecurity has been linked to increased risks of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease and, in the case of South Africa, disparities in terms of access to diverse diets, affect household food security status. The government of South Africa devised the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 with an aim to address food insecurity by promoting rural development which includes an increase in irrigated agriculture. The plan is supported by the National Policy for Food and Nutrition Security (NPFNS) which acknowledges the four dimensions of food security, namely; availability, access, utilisation and stability. Additionally, there is increasing interest in nutrition sensitive agriculture which, among other goals, aims to combine nutrition education with agriculture and prioritise sustainability and resilience within conservation concerns. Farm practices and interactions with natural resources may affect sustainable food security, particularly in a country where the agricultural sector struggles with a lack of availability of arable land and unreliable rainfall. Furthermore there is a need to consider the quality of natural resources. Water quality, for example, may impact crop health, yield, crop diversity and the stability of food production. This water should be managed, regularly monitored and maintained. It is within this context, that the National Water Act of 1998 serves as an important document emphasising water value as a common asset and holds all water users accountable for its protection, including farmers. This study explored the relationship between water quality and food security by integrating a quantitative analysis of water from the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme with a qualitative exploration of perceptions of local farmers on water quality and food security. The water quality was deemed fit for irrigation use, with caution that prolonged irrigation use requires monitoring due to salinity and pH. Nitrates, phosphates and metals were within ideal ranges. Overall, farmers perceived the water quality negatively, but their perceptions were in line with salinity results. The integrated results indicated that farmers' perceptions of water quality influenced the mitigation techniques they selected, without knowing the exact levels of constituents they were mitigating against. Farmers displayed practical knowledge in terms of salinity, and felt that knowing more about the quality of the water would benefit food production. Farmers considered negative influences of water quality to be external to the farm boundary. Likewise, maintenance and management were perceived to be the responsibility of the service provider and at national and local government levels. Overall, the farmers' perceptions showed that water quality was linked to food production and food security. The study recommends that there be reciprocal knowledge transfer between all actors involved in water and agricultural services. When available, water quality results of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme as well as recommended mitigation techniques should be shared with the farming community. The concept of "water stewardship" prompted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) could raise awareness and involve farmers in taking ownership of water quality. Where applicable, updated versions of the national water quality guidelines should consider including aspects of sustainable agriculture as a part of the mitigation techniques as well as reiterate the pivotal role of the farmer as a responsible actor. The NDP 2030 and other policies promoting agricultural development should be aware of the quality of natural resources and not just concentrate on availability.