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This report details the second phase (2015–2016) of the Breede Catchment Water Stewardship Programme in South Africa's Western Cape, a partnership between WWF-SA, Woolworths, M&S, GIZ, and the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS). The project focused on transitioning from on-farm water risk identification to collective action, specifically addressing urban water quality in townships, invasive alien plant clearing in mountainous areas, and the application of the AWS Standard to agriculture.

This technical report evaluates water use efficiency and the application of the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard among stone fruit farmers in the Western Cape of South Africa. It combines orchard-scale biophysical measurements of peach and plum trees with farm-scale assessments of water balance and quality across nine volunteer farms in the Breede catchment. The report finds that while Western Cape farmers are significantly more water-efficient than global averages, there are local opportunities to reduce water use by up to 20-30% through improved irrigation scheduling and the use of correct crop factors. It also details the implementation of the AWS standard, identifying drought, social risks (such as infrastructure theft), and regulatory uncertainty as primary concerns for farmers.