high economic return and comparably small negative impact on freshwater resources can become part of wise water governance. The analysis showed that grapes, potatoes, green maize, apples, pears and oranges have a relatively high economic green- and blue-water productivity, while at the same time their consumptive water footprint is relatively low compared to other crops that are considered here. It should be noted that in earlier work for the Breede-Overberg river basin the economic bluewater productivity of grapes was found to be particularly high (BOCMA, 2011). Furthermore, investment in import of waterdemanding crop varieties can help to alleviate water scarcity. An example in SA is the case of rice. Policy may include incentives to use the resources on higher value crops and in a more efficient way. To put adequate strategies into practice, functional and efficient water allocation and management institutions
are required. Yet, despite the 15 years that have elapsed since the enactment of the NWA, by March 2012, only 2 (out
of the original 19 envisaged) catchment management agencies were operational, with another 6 being gazetted and awaiting approval (PMG, 2012). There has since been a reorganisation of the original 19 designated water management areas into 9 larger ones in an attempt to overcome the capacity constraints in some areas.