Water has become an important and scarce resource in Sahara sub region. This was due to the revolving climate and the change in pattern of the population. South Africa has not been different from the other countries within the continent. As it lies on the southern tip, it has been faced with many challenges that encounter the developing third world. Amongst the three most influential factors that affect quality and quantity of water within the Republic of South Africa which have been identified includes, environmental studies; climate change and water consumption for both domestic and commercial purpose. These factors have a bearing on socio-economic living of the society in different ways. The agricultural sector is affected through out the ecosystem as the agricultural productivity will be implicated due to the increase on the supplier demand patterns. The value chain from primary agriculture, agri processing through to human consumption depends on water to fulfil its obligations.
This paper will look onto patterns that revolves around the agricultural sector, when and what are the implications on the future of agricultural productivity as it is affected by the rate of water consumption and its availability. This will be done through studying statistics from agricultural censuses and surveys conducted over the last ten years and try to identify any similar patterns so as to project future implications.
Keywords: Environmental studies; Climate change; Rate of water consumption; Implication on future agricultural productivity
Biography: Mr Moses Mnyaka has a B Sc degree in Mathematical Statistics and Applied Mathematics and a B Sc honours degree with papers in the same field like the junior degree. He is currently working as a manager in agricultural statistics at Statistics South Africa. He conducted the last two agricultural censuses during the years 2002 and 2007 in South Africa as a project manager and is busy planning and preparing for the next round of census of agriculture.