November 2014
38
FOCUS
Natural resources andenergy
Special
Natural resource assessments for
agricultural planninganddevelopment
3b
Figure 3a and 3b: Examples of crop suitabilitymaps for theNorthWest Province.
However, the fact that South Africa has a national, geo-referenced
and reliable source of baseline natural resources data can only be
advantageous.
These products can be utilised for the planning of grain production,
both for commercial and emerging farmers, for specific regions as
well as for the country as awhole.
For further information, contact Dr Garry Paterson at
garry@arc.
agric.za.
References
Nieuwoudt,W.L.,Backeberg,G.R. &DuPlessis,H.M. 2004. Thevalueofwater in the
SouthAfrican economy: Some implications.
Agrekon
43, 162 - 183.
Schoeman, J.L., Van der Walt, M., Monnik, K.A., Thackrah, A., Malherbe, J. &
LeRoux, R.E. 2002. Development and applicationof a land capability classification
system for SouthAfrica. Report No. GW/A/2002/57. ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate
andWater, Pretoria.
Scotney, D.M. &VanderMerwe, A.J. 1995. Irrigation: Long-term
viability of soil andwater resources inSouthAfrica. Proc. S. Afr.
Irrig. Symp., Durban, June 1991. Report No. TT 71/95, 50 - 60.
Water ResearchCommission, Pretoria.
SAGrain/
Sasol Nitrophoto competition
3a
