Day Zero in the Western Cape taught South Africa what happens when the taps run dry. But while the crisis has been dissected from every angle, far less attention has been given to what comes next. At the recent Water and Food Indaba in Cape Town, the conversation shifted from the warnings to practical solutions.
While policymakers continue debating long-term water security, farmers say adaptation cannot wait. From harvesting rainwater and drilling boreholes to reducing evaporation and reusing water, they believe building resilience starts with making better use of every available drop.
Treating and reusing wastewater on farms could become one of the most practical ways to strengthen the country’s food system as water shortages intensify, said Leigh Waters-Maine of Phoka M Holdings.
Waters-Maine said agriculture can no longer rely solely on rainfall and freshwater sources if it hopes to remain productive in a changing climate.
“If I could implement one practical solution tomorrow, it would be decentralised water reuse systems that enable farmers to safely treat and reuse water on-site,” she said.
She argued that too much water is still extracted from rivers and aquifers, used once and discharged, despite technologies that allow it to be treated and reused for irrigation.
“Water should not be viewed as waste once it has been used once, but as a resource that can be recovered, reused and continuously support food production.”
According to her, making water reuse part of everyday farming will require affordable technology, access to funding and practical support to help farmers adopt these systems.
Related stories
- These water-saving solutions can help farmers stay afloat
- Practical water-saving strategies every SA farmer can use now
- SA’s water crisis puts farmers and food security at risk
- Drought, floods, and dry taps: ‘It’s too much,’ say EC farmers
Protecting natural ecosystems
Lehman Lindeque, technical advisor for sustainable land management at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), explained that true water security requires looking beyond traditional infrastructure towards ecological restoration.
By viewing water as a resource to grow through active management and cooperation, Lindeque said sustainable catchment care can expand effective supply, yielding far greater long-term returns than relying solely on new dams or pipelines.
Lindeque pointed out, “A healthy catchment is where our water security begins.” Without functioning ecosystems, downstream engineering efforts inevitably fall short over time.
He warned, “If the mountains, wetlands, grasslands, and river systems that capture rainfall are degraded, every downstream investment dams, irrigation schemes, water treatment works, and pipelines becomes less effective.”
For South Africa to ensure long-term food production and rural stability, he noted that national policy must prioritise restoring these degraded landscapes alongside providing emerging farmers with essential infrastructure, training, and financial support.
Water the new currency for farmers
For Lindokuhle Mabaso, founder of Mabaso Agrisolutions from Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal, rainwater harvesting has become a lifeline. He stores rainwater in tanks and even reuses clean two- and five-litre containers to keep water available for his nursery and young crops.
“One practical solution I would implement is rainwater harvesting and water storage systems. It makes use of natural rainfall, reduces dependence on unreliable water sources, and helps farmers continue producing crops even during water shortages,” he said.
Eastern Cape farmer Phiwokuhle Moyo, founder of Magiliwe Farming in KuGompo City, believes every farmer receiving government or funding support should also be assisted to install boreholes and water storage systems. His vegetable farm has been without water since 2024 following a reported municipal pipe burst, forcing production to a standstill.
“Without water, production comes to a complete stop. Incomes are lost, and opportunities for growth and funding disappear,” said Moyo, who believes independent water sources are essential for long-term farming.
In Mpumalanga, Seedlings-R-US founder Elliot Madonsela from KwaMhlanga has focused on stretching every litre. In addition to expanding his water storage capacity, he uses mulch and intercropping to reduce evaporation and improve soil moisture.
“I’ve improved my water storage capacity and use anything and everything to store water. It helps me maintain production using less water while also reducing transport costs,” he explained.
Although each farmer has taken a different approach, they agree on one thing: improving water security is no longer optional. It is becoming one of the biggest factors determining whether farms survive, grow and continue feeding their communities.
Water security starts with better decisions
Independent filmmaker Miki Redelinghuys said South Africa’s water challenges cannot be solved through technology alone, but by changing how development decisions are made.
Drawing on years of documenting social justice issues, Redelinghuys pointed out that governments should weigh the long-term impact of approving developments such as mines, data centres and luxury estates, particularly in water-scarce regions.
“Decision-makers need to consider the long-term impact of granting these rights, not the short-term economic gains.”
Miki Redelinghuys
She said, “The question should always be who benefits from these developments, and who will bear the cost in the years to come.”
Redelinghuys added that projects that promise jobs and investment can also place lasting pressure on water resources, food production and surrounding communities if environmental costs are overlooked.
She believes stronger consideration of these trade-offs is essential to protecting South Africa’s water security and ensuring future generations are not left paying the price for today’s development decisions.
READ NEXT: SA’s deepening water crisis threatens national food security
