The deep waters of land reform: land,water and conservation area claims in Limpopo Province,Olifants Basin,South Africa |
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Authors: | Janwillem Liebrand Margreet Z Zwarteveen Philippus Wester Barbara van Koppen |
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Institution: | 1. Irrigation and Water Engineering Group, Wageningen University , the Netherlands Janwillem.Liebrand@wur.nl;3. Irrigation and Water Engineering Group, Wageningen University , the Netherlands;4. International Water Management Institute , Southern Africa , Pretoria , South Africa |
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Abstract: | Through investigating the reactions of commercial farmers to land and water reforms in the Trichardtsdal-Ofcolaco area, Limpopo Province, Olifants Basin, South Africa, from 1997 to 2006, it is shown that water claims are key to land redistribution processes, and that commercial farmers make strategic use of arguments for nature conservation and ecological stewardship to defend their claims to water. Given these observations, caution is warranted with respect to the implementation of land and water reforms as separate policy packages; it may be more effective to design water and conservation policies as an integral part of land reform programmes. |
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Keywords: | water reform land reform nature conservation water rights Olifants Basin South Africa |
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