How To Prevent Drought In South Africa: 7 Steps To Take
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Drought can be a crippling natural disaster for any country. South Africa is no exception. Drought has ravaged the country for nearly two years now and still shows no signs of letting up. The country’s agricultural sector took a hammering from it, with over 60% of agricultural land in South Africa affected by drought as of February 2019. The impact of this dry spell is far-reaching, from rising grocery prices to job losses in the agricultural sector and even an increased risk of violent protest. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right steps, South Africa can break its long-term drought cycle sooner rather than later. Read on to know more about how you can prevent future droughts in your area.
Everyone’s Role Is Important In Drought Prevention
The idea of drought and water shortages is a common one in South Africa. Many people are aware of the drought and how it has affected the country. However, the majority of the population is unaware of what actions they can take to prevent future droughts. Thankfully, there are many simple steps that everyone can take to help prevent future droughts in their area. While the steps can be taken by all levels of government and society, they cannot be overstated enough just how important these actions are. As noted above, we are currently in a long-term drought cycle in South Africa. If we continue with our current patterns of water use, we are almost certain to see a similar result in the future. By taking these steps now, we can prevent future droughts in the future and ensure that the country’s agricultural sector doesn’t take a hammering for good.
Flood Risk Management
Droughts are a product of two things: a lack of rain and a higher than average amount of water in rivers, streams and lakes. A flood, on the other hand, is the result of excess water in rivers, streams and lakes. So, it’s a natural process that has a positive outcome if properly managed. Unfortunately, we have seen floods in South Africa caused by poorly managed drainage systems. A common and unfortunate mistake is for people to build houses on floodplains. When there is heavy rain and the river swells, it can easily overflow and cause severe destruction and loss of life. To prevent floods, there are a few things that you can do at home. At the most basic level, you should make sure that your drainage system is in good working order. If there is a blockage or drainpipe that is blocked, the excess water will cause the water level in your drainage system to rise.
Reduce Runoff From Agricultural Land
As noted earlier, a major cause of droughts in South Africa is a lack of rain. However, there are some steps that you can take to reduce the amount of soil loss that occurs during a drought. One such step that you can take is to reduce your soil erosion by planting trees and bushes along your fields and around your house. Trees and bushes are known as “ecosystem engineers” and they help to prevent soil erosion by holding soil in place. In addition, they also help to prevent runoff by slowing down rainwater as it runs off the land. A second step that you can take to help to reduce soil loss during a drought is to invest in drip irrigation. Not only will this help to reduce soil loss, but it can also make your water use per crop more efficient. This is especially helpful in arid regions like South Africa.
Build More Storage Structures For Water Supply
One of the most important steps that you can take to help prevent future droughts in South Africa is to invest in more water storage facilities. The country’s current water supply infrastructure is relatively old, especially when you consider how quickly our population is growing. It is therefore critical that we invest in new infrastructure as our population grows. One such way that we can do this is through the use of water storage facilities. By building more water storage structures, such as dams and reservoirs, we can store water that we can use during times of drought. This means that we don’t have to wait for the rains to replenish our water supply when they come around again.
Investments In Infrastructure And Seismic Storm Resilience
The two factors that cause droughts in South Africa are a lack of rainfall and a higher than average level of water in rivers, streams and lakes. If we want to prevent future droughts in the country, we must invest in measures to reduce this level of water in rivers, streams and lakes. This is achieved through the creation of reservoirs and irrigation. However, we can also invest in infrastructure to help prevent future droughts in the country. One such investment is in seismic resilience. When we build our cities, we need to ensure that they are built in a way that can withstand seismic shocks.
Urban Planning For Rainwater Harvesting
While you can take steps to prevent future droughts in your area, you should also consider investing in urban planning. One such step that you can take is to invest in rainwater harvesting in your home. Rainwater harvesting is a simple and cost-effective way to capture rainwater in your home. This allows you to reduce your dependence on water that is supplied by the city and can help to replenish your water supply during times of drought. It can also help to reduce your water use, making it a very cost-effective way to reduce your water bill.
Conclusion
When it comes to water, we are in this together. It falls to each of us to make small changes in our routines to ensure that we don’t see people forced from their homes or livelihoods as a result of drought. We have seen in South Africa that we can break our drought cycle if we take the right steps. We can invest in water resources, reduce soil loss, build more water storage structures and use water more efficiently. By doing these things, we can prevent future droughts in South Africa.
