The unique fynbos in the Sandveld, on the Cape western coast, is degenerating into a desolate lunar landscape after years of rapidly growing potato cultivation, largely to meet the fast food industry’s demand for French fries.
Potato farmers’ irrigation needs, combined with inadequate winter rains, have destroyed 55% of the vegetation, say conservationists. Satellite imaging has revealed that an average of 2,7ha of fynbos has been lost every day over several years, frequently through illegal land clearing.
Critics say the national Department of Land and Agriculture issued the land clearance certificates required under soil conservation laws too readily, as conservation was regarded as the environmental affairs department’s responsibility.
The Sandveld forms part of the Cape floral kingdom, one of only six in the world.
A private-public monitoring project has discovered that, since 2001, underground water levels have dropped in several places across this unique area — in some cases by nine metres.
The Verlorenvlei, an internationally protected Ramsar Convention site, failed to flow this year. Several animal species endemic to the Sandveld area, including the spoonwing lacewing and the southern speckled padloper tortoise, are at risk.
Lambert’s Bay residents are trapped in a water crisis. The town has now received R1-million to drill a new borehole to secure future supplies.
Underground water is the sole source of water in this semi-arid environment for both people and heavily-irrigated potato circles, which can only be planted every four years.
Last year, the Sandveld produced 26-million of South Africa’s total output of 172-million 10kg pockets of potatoes. According to PotatoSA, 15% of the Sandveld crop is processed into chips and fries. About 40% of the country’s seed potatoes also come from the Sandveld.
Potato production started in earnest 20 years ago, with the extension of the electricity grid. Between 2000 and 2003, potato cultivation boomed in response to demand from overseas and the local fast food industry.
”The problem in the Sandveld is everybody’s problem,” said Penny Mustart of the Botanical Society of South Africa. ”The aim now is to work with landowners to ensure that what is left of the area can be conserved.”
From next week, the Greater Ceder-berg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC), a conservationist-led initiative, will approach potato and rooibos farmers to set aside portions of their land for corridors of natural vegetation, or conservancies. Land can be released informally or through legally binding agreements under which title deeds are endorsed for between 30 years and perpetuity.
GCBC project manager Sean Ranger said this step was vital, as only 20% of South Africa’s biodiversity was currently protected in proclaimed nature reserves. ”Good relations with farmers and other landowners are absolutely crucial to looking after our heritage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sandveld Task Team, which represents conservationists, farmers and government departments, is examining sustainable land and water use. Six small towns use water, but the largest consumers by far are the potato farmers.
Local catchment manager for the water affairs department, Abdulla Parker, said the main challenge was ”to balance market demand for products and sustainable development”.
Water usage targets under the 1998 National Water Act effectively nationalised a resource that previously belonged to individual landowners. However, the implementation of targets has been slow.
The Sandveld Potato Growers’ Association has offered to hand over its production records, to indicate how its members have used water over the past 20 years
Local hydro-geologist Julian Conrad agreed there was cause for concern. ”Where [potato farmers] have stopped using water, the levels are increasing. With proper manage-ment, the water can be secured.” But speedy action on land and water management was needed immediately.
Potato farmer Rina Theron, awarded the Top Woman Farmer of the Year in 2000, said the rescue plan might be too little too late. ”It’s a very slow process. There are already large sections which have dried up.”
Like many other potato farmers, Theron is producing at a loss and needs to put more land under cultivation to break even. ”People are not increasing production to make more money, but to stay on their farms,” Theron said. ”There’s only one solution: a holistic approach where farmers will be able to plant fewer potatoes for a better price.”
Cheap imports over the past year have depressed local prices. Tuesday’s potato spot price was R14,80 for premium quality; in Cape Town the price was R13,70, as only 58 000 of the 220 000 pockets were sold.