Why water rights aren’t enough to fix South Africa’s deeply unequal farming sector

South Africa’s commercial farming sector is still shaped by the legacy of slavery, colonialism and apartheid .

Black South Africans make up more than 80% of the population.

But most commercial farms are still owned by a relatively small number of white farmers.

During apartheid, Black farmers were prevented by discriminatory land and water laws from owning productive farmland.

They were also cut off from accessing irrigation water or taking part in commercial agricultural markets.

Many Black communities were forced into overcrowded areas known as Bantustans , with poor infrastructure and few opportunities to build successful farming businesses.

Read more: How white farmers still dominate land ownership in South Africa in spite of land reform – new research Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has tried to make farming fairer by changing who owns land and who has access to water.

One approach has been to give water licences to Black farmers and encourage them to enter joint ventures with established commercial, mainly white farmers.

Farmers who use rivers, dams or groundwater for irrigation generally need a water-use licence.

In these partnerships, Black farmers usually provide the land and water, while established commercial farmers provide finance, farming expertise, equipment and access to markets.

The idea is that both sides benefit: established farmers can keep producing crops, while Black farmers gain the support they need to build commercial farming businesses.

Each of these partnerships is set up individually on its own terms.

Read more: Land reform in South Africa is doomed unless freed from political point-scoring In South Africa, commercial farming relies heavily on irrigation using rivers, dams or underground sources.

We research who gets access to water and land and how water is managed.