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As a net food exporter, South Africa has a productive agricultural sector. Arable land is restricted to about 15% of the agricultural land area of 102.8 million ha, of which about 10% is under irrigation. A brief overview and description is provided of the country's history in terms of irrigation development. The pre-requisites for sustainable irrigation can be deduced from case studies namely the Vaalharts, Lower Olifants and Loskop irrigation schemes. In addition to dams and canals, water, soils and crops, the past and present requirements are availability of markets, financing of capital, managerial and entrepreneurial capacity. A crisis in terms of a turning point for national and household food security can be averted if priority in future is given to investment in human, social and financial capital on existing irrigation schemes.
