Service Contract No 2007 / 147-446 Strategic ... - Swaziland

−Water use for irrigation is linked to crop water requirements. Diversification in cropscan help reduce water demand; however, there is currently low emphasis ondiversification; irrigation consumes about 96% of the country’s water yet access toclean safe water by communities is very low; climate change will exaggerate theneed for community water supplies that may threaten the business-as-usualarrangement for allocations.5.3 Key aspect 2: Long- term social andenvironmental sustainability of small- canegrowers (High Priority)5.3.1 Current stateThe sugar industry plays a crucial role in the overall economic development of the country, interms of total agricultural and manufacturing output, employment of workers, and themultiplier effects of linkages with other sectors and the development of support activities,which in turn contributes to poverty alleviation and food security. The viability of the industryis thus vital to the economy of the country, and to the well-being of the people. A keycomponent of the NAS is the financial and technical support for the expansion of sugar canecultivation by small cane growers.A number of small- and medium-cane growers have, over time, established themselves,operating as individuals or as a group in co-operatives and farmers’ associations. Throughthe construction of Maguga Dam in Swaziland and Lake Matsamo (Driekoppies Dam) inSouth Africa, the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) improved the assurance of watersupply to existing and emerging irrigators downstream of the dams, such as in the KDDP.Likewise, further expansion of irrigation schemes was created through LUSIP and theLavumisa Irrigation Development Project.The first phase of LUSIP Project has involved the construction of a weir, feeder canal,Lubovane dam, and a canal-based distribution system. On-farm works are progressing, withplans to irrigate an area of approximately 6,500 ha, benefiting an estimated 2,618households with the creation of 75 agricultural businesses 13 . The government intends to startthe expansion of the Project into Phase 2, extending the water delivery system to irrigate upto a further 5,000 ha for cane growing 14 .It is also anticipated that a total of 7,400 ha of irrigated farms will be developed as part of theKDDP; 5,500 ha of sugar cane and 1,900 ha of fruit and vegetables, with an estimated 29FAs and 14,500 direct participants. To date, approximately 3,700 ha of production land hasbeen planted to sugar cane and 350 ha to diversified agricultural production15.The Lavumisa Irrigation Development Project Phase I had a total of 234 ha under cane by2008, with 91 ha of other crops grown by a local co-operative. Long-term objectives includesugar cane expansion by 50 ha, and improved management of 184 ha ratoon crop.The KDDP, LUSIP and Lavumisa projects, implemented by SWADE, aim to transform thelocal economy from subsistence farming into sustainable commercial agriculture, and thus13 www.swade.co.sz, and a SWADE pamphlet: Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project: From Subsistence Farming toCommercial Agriculture.14 Funds for LUSIP 2 can only be allocated from the 2011 Annual Action Programme (AAP), thus the earliest date to be ableto enter into individual contractual commitments will be January 2012.15 www.swade.co.szRDMU (Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Adaptation Strategy) - Page 52