Grasslands of the World.pdf - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP

108
Grasslands of the world
Plate 3.6
Dairy cows on irrigated ryegrass pastures (Lolium multiflorum ) near Fort
Nottingham, KwaZulu-Natal.
Dryland pasture production may be improved by irrigation. Where
irrigation is available, despite the relative advantages of using water for other
more lucrative crops , some farmers may choose to grow irrigated pasture.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa ) is the main purpose-grown irrigated fodder, and
is grown throughout the country. In 1980, 468 000 ha were under irrigated
alfalfa, but this declined to 214 000 ha in 1987. This may show a preference
amongst farmers with water rights to grow cash crops. New legislation
(Water Act of 1998), which separates water rights from property rights and
increases the cost of abstracting water from rivers, will reinforce this trend.
In high-performance production systems (e.g. dairy – Plate 3.6), Kikuyu
grass (Pennisetum clandestinum), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata ), tall fescue
(Festuca arundinacea ) and ryegrasses (Lolium multiflorum and L. perenne )
are cultivated. Some other legumes (Trifolium pratense and T. repens ) respond
well to irrigation. Many other species and numerous cultivars are available
commercially (Bartholomew, 2000).
EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES FODDER
In times of drought , South Africa has provided fodder at subsidized rates
to farmers. According to the new drought policy (National Department
of Agriculture , 1995), the fodder subsidies have been terminated in order
to encourage farmers to build up their own forage reserves and to discourage
them from retaining excessive stock numbers. Nonetheless, it is likely
that some commercial farmers, and probably the government, will continue
S.G. REYNOLDS