CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa

This policy briefing examines climate adaptation readiness in the agricultural sector of South Africa's Western Cape province following the 2015/2016 El Niño-linked drought. It argues that while comprehensive policy frameworks for disaster risk reduction and management exist, implementation is hindered by bureaucratic bottlenecks, insufficient funding, and a persistent focus on short-term relief over long-term resilience. The document highlights the success of conservation agriculture among grain farmers and calls for strengthened intergovernmental cooperation and adaptive water resource planning.

• The 2015/2016 El Niño-linked drought caused severe agricultural losses across Southern Africa, including 643,000 livestock deaths and a need for $2.7 billion (ZAR 3.39 billion) in emergency humanitarian assistance for approximately 23 million people.
• In the Western Cape province, the 2015/2016 drought and heat wave resulted in the loss of 230 hectares of potatoes, 15% of fruit, and 200,000 tonnes of wheat, with some farms experiencing losses between 50% and 100%. Additionally, about 17,000 cattle required fodder assistance.
• South Africa has established integrated policy frameworks for climate change and disaster risk reduction, such as the National Climate Change Response White Paper (2011) and the Disaster Management Amendment Act No. 16 of 2015, but these are not yet effectively implemented across different government tiers.
• The implementation of the Agricultural Drought Management Plan (2005) is obstructed by a lack of financial and human resources, weak intergovernmental cooperation, and a failure to shift the institutional paradigm from 'response' to 'prevention'.
• Conservation agriculture (CA), which focuses on increasing soil moisture-holding capacity, has been adopted by over 70% of grain farmers in the Western Cape. During 2015, many CA wheat farmers in the West Coast district achieved yields that covered their input costs, whereas those using conventional methods struggled with debt.
• There is an urgent need to reform water policies and regulations that hinder the development of water infrastructure, particularly in winter rainfall areas like the Western Cape where peak demand occurs in summer and rainfall patterns are shifting.
• Drought relief for farmers in the Western Cape has relied heavily on provincial government and local cooperation due to a lack of national government support, which was caused by the absence of a formal drought disaster declaration and insufficient funding.

APA

Midgley, S., & Methner, N. (2016). CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-154.pdf

Chicago

Midgley, Stephanie, and nadine Methner. CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-154.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Midgley |first1=Stephanie |last2=Methner |first2=nadine |title=CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-154.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{midgley2016climate, author = {Midgley, Stephanie and Methner, nadine}, title = {{CLIMatE adaPtatION REadINEss FOR aGRICuLtuRE: dROuGht LEssONs FROM thE WEstERN CaPE, sOuth aFRICa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Briefing-154.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }