The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly.
This article was first published by The Conversation. Read the original at bit.ly/3T2uljf.
“The Tyhume River, flowing from the forested Amathole Mountains in South Africa's Eastern Cape, gives its name to a valley of 20 villages on communal land. Much of the land is being used for livestock, as crop production has declined over the years. This land is under the custodianship of traditional leaders.
The valley is typical of South Africa's communal land: affected by soil erosion, bush encroachment and water scarcity.