Water-related Challenges in Crop Production: Insights from Under-Resourced Small-scale Farmers in Limpopo Province of South Africa.

Water scarcity has directly influenced food security across the world. Water scarcity issues remain a major crisis in South Africa which derives the bulk of its food from the local agricultural sector. Likewise, water scarcity is a major challenge to agriculture crop productivity among under-resourced farmers in Limpopo Province which is also the country's economic hub. The current study was undertaken to explore the challenges of water scarcity and the subsequent threat posed to food security at the Luvhada Irrigation Scheme in Limpopo Province and possible solutions thereof. An explorative case study design was utilised. Respondents were selected using the random sampling technique. Data were collected using open and close-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 (descriptive statistics) while the Atlas ti version 8 software (network diagram technique) was used to analyse qualitative data from the open-ended questions. The major agricultural water challenges in the area were mainly broken canal challenge (35.7%), blocked furrows (16.67%), damaged furrows (26.19%), lack of alternative water sources (11.90%), inadequate water sources and competition for water (9.52%). Thus, major recommendations to improve water access at the scheme encompasses the construction of water storage facilities; construction of pipe lines and technically sound irrigation systems; drilling of boreholes; and full utilisation of water from the Nzhelele River. The recommendations are critical to improving water access and improving water conservation particularly at current times where water scarcity is rapidly increasing in Limpopo and South Africa at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]