National Planning Commission convenes the National Irrigation Development Roundtable
Roundtable sets priorities for advancing inclusive and sustainable irrigation development in South Africa
The National Planning Commission (NPC) and the Water Research Commission (WRC) jointly convened the National Irrigation Development Roundtable under the theme, “Irrigation as Development: Securing Livelihoods, Transforming Lives,” on 18 September 2026. The virtual Roundtable brought together representatives from government, farming and irrigation communities, the agricultural and water sectors, business, research institutions, civil society, development finance, and the science and innovation community.
The Roundtable considered evidence from the two studies, Opportunities and Challenges of Irrigation Development in South Africa: A Water-Energy-Food Nexus Perspective; and Unpacking the Irrigation Potential of South Africa.
This collaboration took place against the reality that South Africa is a water-scarce country characterised by uneven rainfall, ageing infrastructure and increasing climate risks. Most cultivated land remains rainfed and vulnerable to climate variability and change, while agriculture accounts for the largest share of national freshwater use; the agriculture sector utilises more than 60% of national freshwater. Irrigation development and broader agricultural water management play a critical role in stabilising production and enabling the cultivation of higher-value crops in South Africa, yet the performance and distribution of resources are highly uneven.
Through this collaboration, the WRC acted as the technical research and drafting lead, providing the scientific evidence and framework for the studies, while the NPC worked as the strategic policy partner and recipient of the findings to ensure that the studies were well-placed to give effect to the objectives of Chapter 6 of the National Development Plan: Vision 2030.
The Programme Director and National Planning Commissioner, Dr. Lebohang Pheko, provided the scene-setting address, framing irrigation as a development issue connected to livelihoods, productive inclusion, food and nutrition security, climate resilience and the transformation of rural economies. She emphasised that the Roundtable should move beyond broad discussion towards a focused and implementable national action agenda.
Professor Sylvester Mpandeli, Senior Research Manager: Water Use at the WRC, presented the evidence emerging from the two studies. His presentation outlined South Africa’s irrigation potential and emphasised the importance of improving water productivity, rehabilitating existing infrastructure and ensuring that irrigation investment supports climate resilience, food and nutrition security, and the participation of smallholder and emerging farmers.
The programme featured a facilitated stakeholder dialogue that brought together various perspectives from farmers, the agricultural sector, science and innovation, water-related businesses, irrigation communities, and the NPC. The objective was to discuss the key constraints impacting irrigation development, identify solutions that are currently effective or have potential, examine the necessary institutional changes, and highlight the actions that should be prioritised in the next 12 to 24 months.
The programme also included four Action Labs that focused on various critical areas: water, infrastructure and energy; land, farmers and productive inclusion; finance, markets and investment; and governance and implementation. The discussions highlighted the necessity to enhance institutional coordination and accountability, expedite land-tenure assessments, refine water-use authorisation processes, rehabilitate ageing infrastructure, bolster water-quality monitoring, and establish suitable financing and market arrangements for smallholder and emerging farmers.
The roundtable emphasised the importance of enhanced coordination among various sectors, including agriculture, water and sanitation, energy, land reform, science and innovation, finance, local government, and spatial planning. It also highlighted that having irrigation infrastructure alone is insufficient for establishing viable farming enterprises in the country. Farmers need reliable water sources, affordable financing, effective production planning, extension support, and dependable market access.
The roundtable further called for a transition from isolated pilot projects to integrated demonstration initiatives that encompass land and water access, infrastructure, finance, technology, skills development, and markets. It also suggested a long-term food and water balance for South Africa, associated with an investment pathway. This approach would align future food needs with appropriate production areas, anticipated water availability, infrastructure rehabilitation requirements, enhancements in irrigation efficiency, and any additional needs for storage or irrigation infrastructure.
The roundtable concluded on an optimistic note, highlighting the importance of bridging the gap between research, policy, and practice. It emphasised the need to move from planning to implementation, transition from isolated pilot projects to scalable interventions, and shift from merely agreeing on necessary actions to achieving clarity on how those actions should be executed. It is hoped that the two research studies that inspired the Roundtable will contribute to a roadmap for current and future coordination on water irrigation.
For more information about the Roundtable and its outcomes, please contact:
Ms Lydia Maredi
Cell: 082 062 5888
Email: Lydia@dpme.gov.za
For media inquiries, please contact:
Dr Sandisiwe Mapine
Cell: 071 3701048
Email: Sandisiwe@dpme.gov.za
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