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Functional water infrastructure is essential to ensure water access for smallholder farmers in South Africa. The study investigated the performance of water infrastructure for smallholder farmers in the Western Cape in response to climate change. The primary data were collected through interviews with 119 farmers and 20 key informants, as well as eight focus group discussions. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the initial sample ( n = 72), and additional farmers ( n = 47) were recruited through snowball sampling. Qualitative data were analyzed using the ATLAS.ti 25 software. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30.0.0.0 was used to analyze quantitative data, and a chi-square test at the 0.1 significance level was used to determine the factors affecting water infrastructure performance. Pipes and tanks were the infrastructure mainly used by farmers. Farmers lacked water-use measurement devices, leading to ineffective water management. Other challenges included insufficient and underperforming water infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and limited access to electricity for water pumps and meters. The lack of adequate, functional water infrastructure left farmers unable to access water during dry periods. Land title deeds restricted farmers’ access to the credit needed to develop water infrastructure. The findings are crucial for informing government and policymakers about the need to develop water infrastructure for smallholder farmers. This understanding will aid in developing suitable solutions, such as providing adequate financial support and training opportunities for the operation and maintenance of water infrastructure, thereby enhancing its performance and improving agricultural production in the face of climate change.
Mugejo et al. (Fri,) studied this question.