Page 121 - CIWA Water Data Revolution Overview Report

in the basin and in the promotion of economic growth. Agriculture, which employs the

majority of the basin’s inhabitants and generates most of the basin’s economic output, is

heavily reliant on available water resources specialty though irrigation services. Irrigation

developed for cash crops such as sugarcane has catalyzed economic growth in the region,
with a sugarcane processing industry growing in tandem and providing livelihood

opportunities. Water is also essential for hydropower generation, as two hydropower dams

have been constructed on the river system to meet growing energy needs. In addition, the
basin contains southern portions of the environmentally important Kruger National Park –

one of Africa’s largest game reserves and home to several endangered species. Other uses

include forest plantations and for domestic and industrial use.

Figure 8. Incomati and Maputo River Basins in southern Africa.

The Maputo River Basin is located south of the Incomati Basin to the north, and is also a

transboundary basin shared by Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa. The land area of the

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basin is about 30 000 km . The major water users in the Maputo Basin are irrigation,
afforestation and transfers from the Upper Usuthu catchment to the Vaal and Olifants
catchments. Irrigated agriculture and commercial forestry the largest water users in the basin,