High rainfall-mitigation tech is available, but costly

South Africa's status as an arid country has focused much attention on water-saving technologies, placing farmers in a good position to better manage water resources.

- Lindi Botha

However, with the increasing incidence of floods, farmers now also need to consider technologies that manage too much water.

Michael Esmeraldo, managing director of Netafim Southern and East Africa, told Farmer's Weekly that water storage capacity and drainage systems had traditionally been neglected in South Africa. "We are seeing within the irrigation community in South Africa that there is a rise in queries about drainage systems because farmers are increasingly struggling with waterlogged fields as rainfall patterns are bringing more intense downpours. If farmers can guide the water out of their fields and into reservoirs, then it's a win for their crops and water demands," he said.