While Earth Day may have come and gone – and Day Zero seems like a lifetime ago - South Africa’s reality as a water scarce country remains. Water scarcity is being exacerbated by poor water resource management and licensing, lacking water infrastructure, insufficient maintenance and investment, and, without question, climate change. 

Given the extensive water needs of produce farmers, the agricultural sector is and will be one of the hardest hit by the effects of climate change

In the context of these challenges, and South Africa’s broader water scarcity issues, Environmental law experts at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fishing Sector believe that the task of finding swift and effective solutions is essential.

In a recent alert from CDH, experts look at:

• Why continuing to prioritise reaching our climate change commitments such as those under the Paris Agreement, and encouraging water saving practices alone will not be sufficient 
• The challenges of unsuccessful water policies; lacking water infrastructure; cumbersome licensing processes; and financing gaps
• Important steps that need to be taken to protect this scarce resource and ensure the successful future of agriculture in South Africa.