The Swaziland Environment Action Plan (SEAP)

Contents | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

3.1 The Economy | 3.2 People | 3.3 Land | 3.4 Water Sector | 3.5 Biodiversity | 3.6 Agriculture | 3.7 Forestry | 3.8 Manufacturing | 3.9 Tourism | 3.10 Mining | 3.11 Fuel and Energy

3.0 SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

3.6 Agriculture

Agricultural production in Swaziland is characterized by arable crop farming and livestock production. Both production systems are undertaken on Swazi Nation Land (about 70% of the country) and Individual Tenure Farms. The achievement of sustained and equitable agricultural development remains the greatest challenge facing the Swazi nation. The essential task of agricultural development is to provide opportunities so that the Swazi people can reach their potential in acquiring a chance for better life. Although the desirability of agricultural development is fully recognised, recent years have witnessed rising concerns about whether other development constraints will limit agricultural development.

The dominance of agriculture in the productive sector of the economy shifted to the industry sector from 1987. Between 1968 and 1993, agriculture's share of GDP fell from around one-third to one-eighth, while that of industry grew from one-quarter to over two fifths.

Assessment of the present situation shows that large and efficient agricultural production systems in Swaziland are in place such as the sugar and citrus industries. There are also smaller production systems and farms with economic and sustainable outputs. Large parts of the country are not devoted to sustainable production systems, as is evident through low outputs and land degradation. There is therefore an urgent need for improving landuse on both communal and private land, guided by clear policies. These should address land shortage, land tenure and land degradation which are recognized as the major constraints in land development, with the increasing population pressure as the underlying cause.

3.6.1 Environmental Issues in Agriculture

Soil Erosion

The soil resources are made up of nine soil types, (Murdoch, 1970), ranging from raw mineral soils to halomorphic soils. In general, the more acidic the parent material, the more acidic the soil, and the greater its permeability. Halomorphic soils occur in the Lowveld, where there is insufficient rainfall to leach mineral salts from the intermediate and basic soils. Thus, salinity is one of the major limiting factors to plant growth in irrigated areas in the semi-arid Lowveld area.

With additional pressure from increased human and livestock populations, soil erosion is fast increasing, marring the landscape, reducing productivity, and diminishing the country's unique Biodiversity.

Soil erosion is a function of soil type, local relief, rainfall, and vegetation cover. Thus, soil erosion in Swaziland is more severe in the Upper and Lower Middleveld, where the soils are more erodible, slopes are steep, and there is relatively high rainfall. These physical features, combined with overgrazing by domestic livestock, have resulted in serious soil erosion.

A study (Jansen, Remmelzwaal and Dlamini, 1994) was carried out which utilized the Actual Erosion and Land Degradation Assessment (AELDA) site description method and the characterization per agroecological unit. The following conclusions were drawn from the study:

1. Actual erosion and land degradation occurs mainly in extensive communal grazing areas because of the absence of soil and water conservation measures;
2. Actual erosion and land degradation hardly occurs on rainfed arable cropping areas with grass strips and where contour ploughing is practiced. Where erosion does occur it is evident that the lack or complete absence of these soil and water conservation measures is the cause;
3. Serious actual erosion and land degradation is found concentrated in areas around dipping tanks and watering points in the whole country;
4. Areas with very serious erosion can be found in the Upper Middleveld (and some local occurrence in the Highveld) with its deep red soils where erodibility of the soils and slope are contributing factors, and in the Lower Middleveld where soil sodicity is a contributing factor.

Rangelands

Livestock grazing is the predominant land use in Swaziland. About 11,630 sq. km (67% of the total land area) is used solely for grazing. During the dry season, an additional 2,509 sq. km (14.4%) which are under cultivation or fallow during the summer, are also used for grazing. The stocking rate is roughly 1.77 heads/ha, which is among the highest in Africa.

The condition of the rangeland varies widely. In general, the land used for commercial ranching on title-deed land and on Swazi Nation Land ranches is in better condition (fair to good) than in SNL communal land. Nevertheless, there is still the problem of bush encroachment, specially in the lower Middleveld and Lowveld because of the absence of browsers and the exclusion of fire as a management tool. In SNL grazing lands there appears to be increasing deterioration of the rangelands and signs of severe erosion in many areas. The worst ones are the western slopes of the Ponjwane Hills (H2), the western slopes above the Grand Valley (H3), the Kapunga plateau (UM2), the Mhlosheni and Sigombeni/Emangicineni areas (UM3), the Lukonde plateau (UM5), and parts of unit WL3 and EL1.

Table 10: Total Land and Communal Rangelands with Serious/Very Serious Erosion Status and Poor Range Conditions

Source: Remmelzwaal and McDermott, 1997

Agricultural Chemicals

Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are all commonly used in Swaziland, especially in title-deed land. Organochlorides, such as DDT and Dieldrin which accumulate in the soil, have been banned in many countries but are still being used in Swaziland. Although DDT is not used as extensively as it was in the 1980s, it is still used here even in mosquito-control activities. Agricultural chemicals contribute to soil pollution and eventually to water pollution in various ways, such as through the deposition of heavy metals, nitrates and organo-chlorides Some of the pesticides that do not accumulate in the soil, e.g. MCPA and 2.4D produce toxic by-products, and others, e.g. atrazine and simazine may pollute water sources. Others, e.g. parquat, malathion and carbaryl have detrimental effects on health.

Nitrogen-based fertilisers also contribute to soil acidification. In 1990, they accounted for 69% of total fertilisers used in the country (Central Statistics Office Annual Bulletin, 1989/1990). Leaching of nitrates and phosphates from fertilisers pollutes surface water and causes eutrophication which clogs rivers and leads to reduced water supply. In addition, nitrates in water causes diseases, such as methaemoglobinaemia (blue baby syndrome) and stomach cancer.

3.6.2 Policy

Status of Policy

At present, there is no Rural Land and Environmental Policy or Agricultural Policy. In 1994, a draft National Agricultural Land Use Policy was prepared but was not submitted to cabinet.

Rural Land Policy

A Rural Land and Environmental Policy would be in harmony with the national land policy, and would, in turn, serve as an umbrella policy for others concerned with rural issues, e.g. livestock, agriculture. Such an umbrella policy would embrace environment, land use and management, land tenure, social and economic factors, infrastructure, water resources, forestry and institutional/legal aspects. Its objectives would be:

• To achieve a sustainable balance in the use of land, water and other natural resources between production systems, rural settlement and protection of the environment;
• To maintain and improve biodiversity of indigenous and introduced ecosystems;
• To diversity rural production systems and create new job opportunities;
• To reform land tenure arrangements to ensure security and stimulate progressive land development;
• To improve rural infrastructure and affordable energy supply.

Agricultural Land Use Policy

The objectives of this policy would be aimed at improving:

1. food self-sufficiency;
2. nutrients levels,
3. exports,
4. employment; and
5. rural income.

The overall objectives are:

• To achieve efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems in support of economic growth and export;
• To make optimal contributions to food security and consumption requirements;
• To provide increased income generating opportunities; and
• To secure sustainable livelihoods for farmers and the rural population

3.6.3 Priority Actions