NewForesight supported the Letaba Catchment Partnership in Limpopo
The Dutch government worked with management consultancy NewForesight as its partner in a project aimed at sustainable land and water management in South Africa’s Limpopo province. The project, funded by the state of the Netherlands, focused on the water-rich agricultural region of Letaba.
The Letaba catchment in Limpopo province is one of South Africa’s most important agricultural regions, producing fruit, nuts and vegetables for local and international markets. It also supports communities, businesses, ecosystems and the Kruger National Park.
The initiative brought together South African and international supply-chain actors, producers, government and civil society to coordinate practical action on shared water and biodiversity challenges. Running over the course of a year, the project ended last July.
A rich agricultural region
South Africa’s northernmost province, Limpopo is home to extensive beef cattle ranches and besides traditional crops like cotton, maize, and peanuts, the region also produces a variety of tropical fruits, tea, coffee, and has a young, but growing wine industry. The Letaba catchment is a watershed area with many dams, but water resources in the region are overexploited.
The region faces growing pressure from water scarcity, biodiversity loss and competing demands. These risks have long threatened agricultural production, local livelihoods, and the long-term resilience of the landscape.
The program and goals
That was the starting point for the Just Landscape Transition Plan (JLTP), which was a joint programme led by various stakeholders including the Letaba Water User Association, the University of Limpopo, and leaders in the local agricultural industry. The programme was supported by the South African Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Partners for Water, a US non-profit organisation.
The project brought together farmers, the Letaba Water Users Association, industry groups, conservation NGOs, and government agencies, all of which agreed on the need for neutral coordination, reliable data and a shared platform for decision-making. The insights gathered were then presented in a joint meeting between the governments of South Africa and the Netherlands.
The central aim of the programme was to build an inclusive, stakeholder-driven transition plan that fosters sustainable water and land management practices in the Letaba catchment. That included building a multi-stakeholder platform that facilitates co-learning and collaborative decision-making; identifying areas for restoration; implementing social learning that can boost sustainability; and helping local communities, businesses, and leaders with integrated planning.
The outcome of the programme was to have a ‘Just Landscape Transition Plan’ in place. That was aimed at bolstering sustainable land and water use in the whole Upper Groot Letaba Catchment area. Part of that outcome was to improve stakeholder coordination, boost governance structures, increase awareness around conservation, and strengthen overall resilience when it comes to water sources.
NewForesight, the consulting firm involved, expressed their desire to keep working to bring together producers, institutions, and other stakeholder to help strengthen water security, biodiversity, and agricultural resilience in the Letaba catchment. The consultants reported visiting the Tzaneen region along with the Dutch embassy in South Africa, a trip aimed at furthering the Letaba Catchment Partnership.
Ultimately, the project brought together South African and international supply-chain actors, producers, government and civil society to coordinate practical action on shared water and biodiversity challenges.
