Water use remains one of the few on-farm practices not yet measured by GlobalG.A.P., said Michael Esmeraldo, managing director of Netafim Southern and East Africa, during the Agbiz Media Day on 23 October at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute near Stellenbosch.
"I forecast that within the next [five to 10 years], [GlobalGAP is] going to give an upper limit on the amount of water that can be used to grow a certain crop. For example, if you want to grow citrus for export, you will probably not be allowed to use more than 750mm to 800mm [of water], otherwise it would not be considered sustainable and efficient water use," he said.
Esmeraldo noted that if consumers demanded water-efficient products, growers would need to adapt. "We already know through extensive research over many years that you don't need that much water to produce the same crop; you only need a certain amount," he added.
He said South Africa's irrigation systems were more advanced than in many regions due to its dry conditions. Drip irrigation, the most efficient system, accounts for about 18% of irrigation in South Africa compared with 5% to 6% globally, while flood irrigation accounts for 14% locally and up to 40% elsewhere.
Research by the World Wide Fund for Nature showed that drip irrigation saves water across multiple crops. Compared with sprinklers, it uses 41 litres less per kilogram for wine grapes, 39 litres for table grapes, 21 litres for pome fruit, 20 litres for stone fruit, 19 litres for citrus, and 117 litres for almonds. On a 50-hectare farm, this equates to tens of thousands of cubic metres of water saved each season.
Esmeraldo said modern tools such as weather stations, soil moisture probes, and dendrometers enable accurate water management but warned that "too much data also confuses people," urging integrated platforms for analysis.
He added that smallholder farmers needed better access to finance for water-efficient systems. "I think banks need to start offering accessible finance for sustainable water-use technologies," he said, noting that drip systems lack the resale value of centre pivots.
He concluded that most irrigation losses result from leaking pipes and poor maintenance, not irrigation methods, and that "farmers should be held accountable when they exceed their allocated quotas."
Source: Farmer's Weekly
