In 1997, the Food and Agriculture organisation of the United Nations estimated the irrigation potential of the Limpopo basin at 295 400 ha based on land and water resources and appropriate cropping patterns (FAO 1997).
Irrigation Potential of the Limpopo basin.
Country
Irrigation Potential (ha)
Irrigation water requirements (Mm3/year)
Irrigated Area (ha)
Botswana1
5 000
53
1 381
Mozambique
148 000
1 702
40 000
South Africa
131 500
1 578
198 000
Zimbabwe1
10 900
120
4 000
TOTAL
295 400
3 453
243 381
1Other literature has given Botswana and Zimbabwe higher irrigation water requirements thereby reducing the irrigation potential estimates herein. Source: FAO 1997
AN EXAMPLE OF PIVOT IRRIGATION NEAR ALLDAYS, SOUTH AFRICA. SOURCE: HATFIELD 2010
