Agriculture

1. The Lower Olifants River Water User Association (LORWUA) is responsible for the management and distribution of the water supply from the Clanwilliam Dam, mainly towards irrigation agriculture. The existing scheduled area of 9 511 ha has a full irrigation water allocation of 12 200 m^3/ha/a. However, due to the variability in rainfall and water storage levels, the limited capacity of the dam, canal conveyance limitations, and other factors, farmers seldom receive the full allocation of 12 200 m^3/ha/a. For the period from 2007 to 2022, the average annual water allocation supplied to farmers was 9643m^3/ha. For the current 2022/2023 irrigation season the allocation is 5050m^3/ha/a which equates to a 48% cut relative to the historic 2007 to 2022 average.

(2)      The current percentage cut of 48% relative to the historic average would not be entirely avoidable if the construction of the raised dam was complete. Apart from a raised dam’s larger storage capacity, various other factors i.e. rainfall in the Olifants-Doorn Catchment, runoff, water levels in the raised dam, dam operating rules, canal conveyance limitations, impact of new water use allocations, environmental water requirements, etc. would have had an impact on the water available for the 2022/2023 irrigation season.

3. The Post Feasibility Bridging Study for the Proposed Bulk Conveyance Infrastructure from the raised Clanwilliam Dam, completed by the Department of Water and Sanitation in 2021, confirms that the raising of the Dam and enlarging the canal conveyance capacity will have a significant socio-economic impact. New irrigation farms in extent of 5 874 ha will be developed and the assurance of supply to existing producers in extent of 9 511 ha will be improved.

New irrigation development will result in:

• Development of secondary irrigation schemes infrastructure R2’071 million,
• Crop production: average gross domestic product (GDP) increase of R2’974 million per annum (2018 prices),
• Farming operational activities will create R4’894 million new capital annually,
• Creation of 15 031 new job opportunities,
• Wages paid R2’131 million per annum (2018 prices)
• Tax paid To Fiscus – R766 million per annum, and
  In addition to the development of new irrigation farms, the assurance of water supply to present producers will be improved, resulting in:

A total average gross domestic product (GDP) increase of R601 million per annum,

• Increased job security to 4611 jobs,
• Average increase in household income – R650 million per annum,
• Tax paid To Fiscus – R171 million per annum, and

Average annual stabilising impact of the increase in Balance of Payments is R328 million.