12 MARCH 2013 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Improving Rural Livelihoods in South Africa through Pond Aquaculture Integrated with Crop Irrigation Jacky Phosa1* About 70 percent of the inhabitants of Limpopo Province reside in rural areas where high rates of poverty and malnutrition prevail. The province has about 171 rural irrigation schemes, mostly underutilized, where poor farmers concentrate mainly on crop production for subsistence. One way to address poverty in these areas is to encourage people to use available resources in a sustainable and optimal way to produce food and create decent jobs. Freshwater aquaculture can contribute to economic development and food security in rural South Africa (Rouhani and Britz 2004). Inland (freshwater) aquaculture development is dependent on the sustainable use of available resources. Aquaculture provides a unique opportunity to contribute to socio-economic development, food security and human resource development through multiple and sustainable use of water resources. One opportunity lies in the integration of aquaculture into existing agricultural development without increased consumptive use of water resources (Maleri et al. 2008). Aquaculture Potential in Limpopo Province Aquaculture in Limpopo Province is developing rapidly and gaining more momentum than any other agricultural activity. There are many potential opportunities in marginal areas of the province where there is extreme poverty and a lack of food FIGURE 1. Example of an abandoned “balancing dam” of the Phetwane irrigation scheme before conversion into aquaculture ponds.
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