As part of World Water Day, which was observed on 22 March, Abeln said in a statement that the local agriculture sector’s success could be ascribed to its willingness to adopt the latest agricultural technologies, including advanced irrigation technologies that integrate into precision agriculture systems to augment farming inputs for maximum yield and efficiency.
According to Abeln, the replacement value of South Africa’s installed irrigation drip systems, microfilters, pumps and pipe infrastructure, is estimated at R34 billion (at today’s prices, based on hectares currently under production).
“Assuming an annual replacement rate of 3%, the annual market size is R1 billion, based on its current size. Looking to the future, as more farmers are expected to switch to precision farming, the need for this type of technology will increase, and with it the size of the market,” he added.
Abeln said that agriculture in South Africa consumes around 60% of the country’s available water resources.
“Our producers have a responsibility to farm sustainably, and this is not possible without good, sustainable irrigation practices,” he continued.
