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WATER-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Managing An Unpredictable Environment

Hanson Tamfu interviews AMY SULLIVAN, Limpopo Basin Focal Project

MAPUTO, Sep 4 2009 (IPS) - The water available in the Limpopo River basin, which stretches across Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is both in great demand and highly variable. Managing it effectively and to the satisfaction of all users is a challenge.

Dr Amy Sullivan is the project leader of the Limpopo Basin Focal Project. Her job is to study how to reduce poverty through better water management. Fourteen million people live within the basin’s catchment area – in Botswana, fully 60 percent of the population is dependent on its water.

Sullivan spoke to Hanson Tamfu about the project on the sidelines of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network’s regional dialogue in Maputo.

IPS: How are water rights are allocated within the Limpopo basin. Amy Sullivan: Water rights are a national issue. In theory we have four legal systems operating in the basin which covers four countries. Water is generally considered a God-given right and human right, but when used on a larger scale governments have to step in as a legitimate regulator.

In South Africa and Mozambique water allocation is under the Catchments Area Authority units in each country. Unfortunately, this is often conducted in isolation of agriculture and tends to affect water management as a whole.

For management to be really effective, there must be integrated planning. Each of the countries has a system of permits attribution for large-scale commercial users. Then at the extreme end, we have the household users, and in between them the small-scale farmers who are actually regulated only on paper but not in the field.

And this is where the problem lies. Policies may be excellent on paper but the implementation on the ground is lacking.

IPS: So the small-scale farmer is neglected so to speak? AS: The small-scale farmers are actually living in uncertainty because they do not have any formal rights. There is a tendency of increasing regulation in this sector and secured rights and the small-scale farmer is being left out. These inconsistencies have rendered him more vulnerable.

IPS: How much water is being used within the basin? AS: I cannot say how much water is being used in the whole basin. But there is over subscription in some areas. By this, I mean that if you combine priority use, agricultural use and environmental flow, you will realise that there is too much pressure on the water resources.

Water availability is highly variable and it is difficult to predict how much will be available in a given period. There is therefore very little scope for expansion of water use activities.

IPS: Would you say that allocation is satisfactory? AS: Certainly not. There is bound to be competition because of this unforeseen situation of water. Upstream, somebody is battling to use more just in case something happens tomorrow. We can only seek redress by working with the various systems to ensure that the legislations in place are adequately implemented.

IPS: So should water use be reduced or increased? AS: I think there should be redistribution not increase or decrease.

South Africa is currently undertaking water allocation reforms. Producers will have to increase their efficiency. Some irrigation schemes are only 40 percent efficient. This will mean planting more improved variety of crops and adopting better irrigation technology.

In fact, there is actually a lot of room to increase water use efficiency without necessarily taking away anyone’s water.

IPS: You have talked a lot about inefficiency: how is this manifested? AS: Inefficiencies are strategies by farmers to reduce risks. This can take many forms; adopting certain technologies and certain crops. In this case bigger growers are more prepared for risks than smaller ones who may not have bank accounts, high yields and reserves.

IPS: Is the situation the same in all the countries covered by the Limpopo river basin? AS: Common issues within the basin are low water productivity and institutional inefficiency.

In Botswana, however, competition for water resources is high. The basin is dryer there and 60 percent of the population lives within the basin. This is because of the increasing urbanisation, which leaves little room for agriculture.

In South Africa and Zimbabwe, there is a tremendous deal of uneven development amongst the commercial and emerging farmers. The needs and the support of various groups are different.

IPS: From all these, what prospects do we see for the basin which has so much at stake? AS: There is positive room for productivity from available resources.

The other side is trying to achieve much in a very unpredictable environment. I mean what is happening around the globe in terms of climate change, financial and economic crises and much more.

A country which crafted a development plan 15 years ago would not have foreseen what is happening today.