Drought still continues in the Cape

By AutoTrader Commercial

Drought. A word that is becoming common in news headlines not just in South Africa but around the globe. It is a word that brings with it lasting complications not only for the environment but for food supply as droughts affect the farming industry which can have a negative impact on food production. One of the worst droughts that South Africa has ever experienced took place in the Western Cape and is unfortunately still under way.

The impact of drought in the Western Cape

The Western Cape experienced decent rains in 2013 and 2014 however in 2015 things started to change and a drought set in for the next three years which is said to be due to the El Niño weather pattern and perhaps by climate change. Water levels in the dams dropped from 71% in 2014 to around 50% in 2015. By late 2017 water levels were at 13.5%. Relief came in the later winter of 2018 which saw dam levels rising to around 70% in November of 2018. Although good news, the possibility of more rainfall remains uncertain for the Cape. 

So how does this affect the agricultural sector within the areas as well as their ability to supply South Africa with winter food supply?

With the winter planting season well underway across the country with many key areas having started in June. The Western Cape however starts its planting season a bit earlier, the end of April to be exact. This means that the weather will be an important factors especially across the winter planning provinces and more so the Western Cape which is said to be a leading producer of winter crops.

Drought still continues

Unfortunately the drought conditions persist in the Western Cape, some areas of the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape. Water restrictions however remain in place in several provinces. 

The majority of summer rainfall areas have reported reasonable to good veld and livestock conditions; that said though, food prices in areas such as Lesotho, especially in the Maseru market have been increasing since January due to the anticipated poor harvest in South Africa. 

Despite this, experts predict that the farmers across South Africa will still yield around 513 450 hectares of wheat, 80 000 hectares of canola and around 118 500 hectares of barley. 

The South African Weather Service indicated, on the 28^th of June that there was still no clear indication on rainfall expectations for the winter rainfall areas during the late-winter which falls over July, August and September. As this is still a growing period for the crop, the potential dryness could negatively affect the yields.

What farmers do to alleviate pressure

It is advised that dry-land winter crop farmers wait for sufficient moisture before planting and stay within the normal planting window. 

It is also advised that farmers should be conservative in their planting i.e. planting density/cultivar/area being planted. In addition they should consider drought tolerant cultivars where possible. 

Those farmers making using of irrigation should reduce the planting area in-line with water restrictions that have been imposed in their areas. Farmers also need to follow the weather and climate forecast regularly so as to make better and more informed decisions.

Implications on livestock

Livestock in the country must also continually be kept in line especially with carrying capacity of the veld. 

They should also be provided with additional feed and other items such as relevant licks. It is also important for farmers to provide their livestock with enough water points on the farm as well as adequate shelter during bad weather conditions. 

As the veld has been dried out there is an increase in the risk of veld fires. It is therefore advised that farmers should create fire belts as well as adhere to veld fire warnings. 

Episodes of cold spells and localised flooding resulting from frontal systems will occur during winter and preventative measures should be in place to minimise or adapt to the negative impacts of these hazards.