Buffalo City’s farmers are in crisis. Years of drought, followed by floods, and crumbling infrastructure, are forcing many to abandon their fields, along with the food security of their communities. Farmers need solutions against the intensifying effects of climate change, and soon.
Previously, Food For Mzansi told the stories of the heartache of small-scale farmers who cannot cope with the onslaught of climate change. In the last decade, the Eastern Cape has lost almost 115 000 farmers.
While parts of the Eastern Cape have seen rainfall, Buffalo City has had to face years of drought. Atule Joka, media liaison officer with the Eastern Cape department of agriculture, confirmed that the area is under water stress, part of a broader drought stretching across the Amathole District.
“The drought in the province was officially declared in 2019, but farmers and communities began to feel its effects as far back as 2016 in certain areas,” Joka said.
The causes are complex but interlinked. “High temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and reduced recharge of groundwater resources have all contributed to the strain,” Joka explained. The rising heat, made visible by a stark warming trend since 2000, means even when rain does fall, high evaporation limits its benefit.
“This is consistent with the effects of long-term climate variability,” he added.
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Farmers give up
However, water scarcity isn’t the only problem. Infrastructure is failing, and the systems meant to deliver water are buckling under pressure.
“The drought has certainly worsened the situation, but ageing infrastructure and population growth have also placed additional pressure on supply systems,” Joka noted. “Where infrastructure is in place but poorly maintained, water losses are inevitable.”
The human cost is clear: the Eastern Cape has lost nearly 115 000 farming households since 2011—the biggest drop of any province. Nationally, South Africa has gained over 4 million new households, yet those engaged in agriculture fell by over 400 000.
Graph: The Eastern Cape has lost almost 115 000 farmers in the last decade.
The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have suffered the largest absolute losses in agricultural households, with black farmers bearing the brunt of the decline.
Yet, hope remains. Joka says the province is finalising the Irrigation Scheme Production Strategy (ISPS), aimed at creating a regulatory framework for irrigation governance and sustainable water use. Other planned interventions include:
- Revitalising underperforming irrigation schemes
- Rehabilitating dams and windmills
- Supporting community-driven water storage solutions
Without lasting interventions, the exodus from farming will likely continue. But with real, committed action, Eastern Cape farmers could find a way to adapt, survive, and feed their communities, despite the climate crisis closing in.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.
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