Load shedding threatens up to 25% of SA’s staple food harvest

Given the impact of load shedding on agricultural activities, it is currently estimated that up to a quarter of South Africa’s staple food harvest, maize, is wilting on irrigated lands.

According to Free State Agriculture’s Commercial Affairs Committee chairman, Kempen Nel, the maize planting season is currently at a critical stage. “The plantations need a lot of water, but pivot irrigation systems cannot work because of the unreliability of ESKOM. Furthermore, the potato, soya, fruit and nut industries, which are also dependent on irrigation, are facing major financial losses”.

Both the availability and rising costs of ESKOM power and protecting food security are forcing farmers to consider their own solutions. However, this remains an expensive and impractical challenge because backup power supply is up to 10 times more expensive than ESKOM power. “Irrigation farmers are especially dependent on ESKOM because the large pumps and other high consumption equipment require very large (and unaffordable) battery capacity”.

Free State Agriculture proposes, in order to ensure food security, that the government put the following in place:

1. Allow Eskom to import diesel without any taxes, royalties or fuel charges and BEE limits

2. Force NERSA to ensure that Eskom’s contracted generators do not demand excessive rates.

3. The introduction of a power generation subsidy to farmers who are forced to introduce alternatives outside of Eskom.

4. An alternative load shedding schedule should be considered which takes into account the specific needs of primary sectors. For example, farmers are willing to have more load shedding in the months when irrigation is not needed.

“The effect of load shedding is felt daily by every citizen. Sectors such as agriculture might have been able to manage the risks of load shedding in the past, but this is becoming impossible. If farmers cannot produce food cheaply, only the rich will be able to eat. It will leave the poorest of our countrymen desperate, discouraged and hungry.” says Francois Wilken, President of Free State Agriculture.

“Privatization of the electricity industry is the obvious solution, and only a simple change of political policy is needed for this. The longer it takes, the greater the risk becomes for our country’s social stability.”