Rainwater harvesting in Willowvale, Eastern Cape.

At present, the world is facing an increasing need to teach about climate change due to many factors such as power generation, goods manufacturing, water wastage, deforestation and overconsumption, to mention but a few. For the following weeks, I will strictly deal with ways and methods I currently employ to save and conserve water through my farming practices and education.

Groundwater is our primary water source, and with industrialisation and common usage by individual households, there is a huge threat to water availability. With so many technological devices and applications to try and save or conserve our water, the impact would be even more significant if every individual played their role in water conservation by minimising groundwater usage. Nowadays, individual participation and dedication to water-saving methods have become the most effective form of fighting for change. Therefore, water conservation at the individual level has become critical.
Rainwater harvesting is a way of gathering and storing rainfall for future usage. These include collecting and storing water with the help of natural streams or man-made dams and ponds, rooftops, hill slopes, swales and berms on contour.

Currently, I am running a community-based Permaculture project whose primary focus, above everything else, is water collection, storage and conservation. The project is situated on the outskirts of the former Transkie in Willowvale, Eastern Cape. The area, just like the rest of South Africa, is a drought-prone area, and water conservation is of no one’s concern. Against this background, I found it necessary to embark on a farming journey that would include applying my indigenous knowledge about water conservation.

Growing up, our homes primarily depended on water fetched from natural streams and rivers, where the idea to collect and store water freely came about. Observing how these natural streams and rivers always supplied water made me realise we could try and mimic the same conditions in which these streams and rivers are set up, but most commonly, the systems used at most rural homes are rooftops.

Written by Bakhusele Mathupha
Mathupaapk@gmail.com