With South Africa being a water-scarce country, widespread adoption of climate-smart farming practices requires concerted efforts to educate and support farmers, particularly small-scale producers, says SRK Consulting.
Over 60% of water use in the country is accounted for by farm irrigation, so it is imperative that water management is at the forefront of agricultural practices.
“Initiatives such as water stewardship, modelling and planning are capable of empowering farmers to adapt to changing climatic conditions while safeguarding environmental integrity,” explains SRK principal scientist Fiona Sutton.
Water resource hydrological and yield modelling involves the use of mathematical and computational models to simulate the movement, distribution and availability of water in a specific area.
For example, the yield of a dam is defined as the maximum amount of water that it can supply without failing or emptying. Yield analyses are essential in the construction of dams and the development of operating rules for water supply systems, whether these are independent dams or interconnected water systems.
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