Water Use and Food Security: Knowledge Dissemination ... Use and... · Definition of Food Security...
Transcript of Water Use and Food Security: Knowledge Dissemination ... Use and... · Definition of Food Security...
Water Use and Food Security: Knowledge Dissemination through Learning Networks
By Dr Gerhard BackebergWater Research Commission (WRC), Pretoria
AgriSETA SeminarSomerset West5 October 2018
Outline of Discussion❑ Water resources in agriculture❑ Research and Development (R&D) Strategy for Innovation❑ People centred R&D for knowledge creation❑ Improving household food and nutrition security❑ Resource material for practical training
- Learning networks❑ Priorities for empowerment with knowledge and skills
Productive Rainwater Use
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Productive activity Rainwater use Area land
on: % ha
Grazing land, 62 85 million
woodlands and forestry
Cropland 12 16 million
Irrigated land 2.5 1.6 million
Note: Run-off: 8.5% of rainfall
Deep percolation: 6% of rainfall
Source: Bennie, 1998; Nieuwoudt & Groenewald, 2003
Irrigation Crop Water Use and Irrigated Area
2014/15
ET irrigation crop water use: 10 221 million m3
Area irrigated: 1.335 million ha
ET irrigation water use per ha: 7 659 m3
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Source: Van Niekerk et al., 2018
WRC Strategic Outcome Oriented Goals
Supporting economic development with priority attention to innovative new products
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Empowering individuals and groups in rural communities with knowledge and skills
Finding sustainable solutions for water use in agriculture
Informing decision-making in private business and public policy
Broadening representativeness of black and female researchers
Training post-graduate students to improve research expertise of human capital
Coherent Action and Resource Commitments in terms of R&D Strategy of the WRC
Annual call for research proposals
• Open and directed submissions
Programmatic and thematic approach
• Specification of available funds
Direct and manage projects according to innovation process
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Taking Research into Practice: The Innovation Cycle
Research
projects
Technology
exchange
Practical
problems
Requirements
of end-users
Creativity,
ideas,
experiments
Commercial
potential,
business
ventures
Inventions,
practical
application
Note:
▪Numbers game
▪Allow time
▪Encourage involvement
Influential Ideas of International Scholars to Focus on Human Assets
The decisive factor to improve the well-being of poor people is not space and cropland but improvements in the quality of the population• Investment in human skills to enhance economic prospects include
child care, health (nutrition, clothing, housing and medical services), home and work experience
TW Schultz, 1979
Emphasis should be placed on individual entitlements, capabilities, freedom and rights exercised over resources. The focus should not be on the lack of food availability but on the failure of entitlements to the means of survival• Important are entitlements to land resources, labour, output
produced and trading of goods and servicesA Sen, 1981
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People Centred Agricultural Development
Social investment in health and education pre-requisite for growth with equity
Education is key to breaking cycle of poverty• Equips individuals, gain self-confidence• Pathway to choice, earning opportunities, material well-being
Statistics on education best indicator of knowledge and skills
Educational level of agricultural household heads (2011)No schooling: 23%Grade 1-11 : 57%Grade 12 : 13%Tertiary : 7%
“Bring lecture room to village”
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Definition of Food Security
“When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs for a healthy and active life”(FAO, 2001)National food security
• Local markets, production, import and export
Household food security
• People are buying and not growing food
• Under utilised potential of natural and human resources
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Levels of Household Food Security
45% of population in 2011 live below poverty line, of which 58% are in rural areas (SSA, 2014)
Results of various surveys in South Africa (Hart, 2009)• 52% of households experience hunger• 41% of households food insecure at monthly income of R800
Target groups for development
Farmer typologies• Farming on small plots• Homestead/backyard gardening
Evaluate appropriate development paths• Focus on individual members of households
(Mainly youth and women)
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Approaches to Increase Food Security
“Twin track approach” to achieve food security (FAO, 2006)• Rural development and productivity enhancement• Direct/immediate access to food
Food security programmes part of integrated anti-poverty strategy (HSRC, 2007)• Employment, education, health• Agriculture, social support
Reality in South Africa• Integrated Nutrition Program (DoH, 1995)• Integrated Food Security Strategy
(DoA, 2002)- Good policies and strategies- More meaningful implementation
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Focus on Needs for Practical Agricultural Training
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Item Homestead yards
Grazing/livestockwatering
Dry land fields
Irrigated fields
Number of households (hh) in former homelands with access to agricultural resources
2 400 000 hh 1 700 000 hh 1 700 000 hh 56 000 hh
Total hectares potentially under control of these households
200 000 ha 12 000 000 ha 2 000 000 ha* 100 000 ha
Source: Botha & De Lange, 2005
*Note: The area under-utilised, high potential land also stated as 3 000 000 ha (Department of Minerals and Energy, 2007)
Number of households (hh) and area of land for different categories of agricultural activities indicating training needs
Range of farmer training needs
Position on development/growth path
Hierarchical nature of farmer goals
Learner objectives and outcomes
Resource Material and Training for Homestead Water Use and Food Production
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Resource Material and Training Guidelines
Resource material for agricultural water use in homestead food garden systems Guide for sustainable greywater use in peri-urban food gardensProduction guidelines for African leafy vegetablesEncouraging uptake and implementation of available training material – Amanzi for food
Resource Material and Training for Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation
Learning Material and Extension Manuals
Procedure for an improved soil survey technique for delineating land suitable for rainwater harvesting
Learning package for education on application of rainwater harvesting
Farmer and extension manuals/guidelines on best management practices for rainwater harvesting and conservation
Learning Network involving Diverse Actors in Agriculture Relevant to Smallholders
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Contextual profiling to identify role players- Colleges- Accredited trainers- Extension service- Agricultural NGO’sEstablishment of multi-actor networksTraining of trainers programmeExtended media engagement and interactive communication
*WRC
*National and Provincial Departments of Agriculture
High Schools
Agric NGOs
Agric CBOsAgric
College
University
Agric Extension
Services
Private training
providers
FarmersFarmer
organisations
*ARC
Source: Lotz-Sisitka et al., 2016
Revitalisation of Smallholder Irrigation
Performance of smallholder irrigation schemes below potential• Need for practical, on-the-job training
Training package for farmer trainers and facilitators• Guide on farmer training• Training tools• Assessment tools• Audio-visual reference material
Rough guide for revitalisation of irrigation schemes• Scheme diagnosis• Participative planning• Feasibility evaluation• Farmer support programmes
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Extension for Irrigation Water Management
Conceptual framework of a possible curriculum for training of extensionists
Training material for extension advisors in irrigation water management
• Technical and extension modules for training
Knowledge brokering and dissemination of irrigation management guidelines for training of extension advisors
• Training the trainers
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Household Food and Nutrition Security
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Nutritional status of South Africans: Links to agriculture and water
Scoping study on water use and nutrient content of crop and animal food products for improved household food security
Rain-fed and irrigated production of food products and potential to meet nutritional requirements
Water use of crops and nutritional water productivity for food production, nutrition and health in poor rural communities
Entrepreneurial Development Pathways
Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid (Prahalad, 2005)
Beyond human and social capital: Positive psychological capital
(Luthans et al, 2004)• Confidence• Hope• Optimism• Resilience
Entrepreneurial activity in South Africa low according to GEM (Business Report, 2013)
Establishment of small farming businesses and employment opportunities (WRC reports)• Homestead and smallholder irrigation farming in
Limpopo, Eastern Cape and KZN Provinces (2016- 2018)
Establishing small farming businesses in rain-fed farming in selected provinces (WRC project) (2021)
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Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Productive Agricultural Activity
Natural suitability and economic viability of land and water resource development and use
Incentives through secure property rights
• Private property
• Common property: secure use rights
Public policy certainty
Empowerment through knowledge and skills
• High level of adult illiteracy and innumeracy, particularly amongst women
• Practical, hands-on adult training
Encouragement of entrepreneurial growth paths
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Priorities to Achieve Household Food Security
Priority focus on increased productivity of existingwater useExploit unutilised potential in rain-fed food gardeningand rainwater harvesting on communal croplandsPriority investment in education and health ofpeople/human resourcesOpportunities for food production, household foodsecurity and small business development under rain-fed conditionsPriority attention to empowerment through secureproperty rights, knowledge and practical skillsFocus first on people (human assets) and second onwater (natural assets)
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Empowerment with Knowledge and Skills for Productive Water Use: Way Forward
10% of households (5.2 million people) access to land on small plots18% of households (9.3 million people) can produce food in homestead backyard gardensKnowledge dissemination for exploitation of available training resource material and guidelinesCo-operation and support of agricultural colleges, training and extension services• Train the trainers and facilitators• Practical courses for farmers and household members• Establish partnerships for development• Implement revised curricula and education programmes
Thank you
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