An energy crisis in South Africa has led farmers to consider switching to small-scale solar in a bid to keep the lights on and pumps running.

An energy crisis in South Africa has led farmers to consider switching to small-scale solar in a bid to keep the lights on and pumps running.

Earlier this week the country marked 100 days of consecutive “load shedding”, which was caused by the country’s ageing and poorly managed electricity grid, according the Agricultural Business Lobby’s chief economist Wandile Sihlobo.

Farmers and food processors have been dealing with up to eight hours a day without electricity, leading to the culling of poultry, the waste of fresh milk and the inability to irrigate crops.

“We derive roughly half of our farming income from the farms that are heavy users of power,” Mr Sihlobo said.

“In the countryside, it’s a major crisis we’re facing right now”.

Nearly half of the country’s wheat and a fifth of its maize are produced under irrigation.

Both the South African government and the private sector have recognised the impact of the blackouts on food security, and identified the potential national security risks stemming from disruptions to the agriculture and food processing sector, according to Mr Sihlobo.

Where’s the power?
South Africa’s publicly-owned electricity generator and distributor, Eskom, has failed to adequately maintain its transmission network, and has been marred by corruption and a recent incident of sabotage.

“During [former president Jacob Zuma’s] era there was a lot of mismanagement of funds and of infrastructure,” Mr Sihlobo said.

“But over time, we’ve also seen South Africa’s consumption of energy increasing, while there’s been muted investment in power generation since 2008.”