ANC national executive committee member, Ronald Lamola, says black farmers are set up for failure when they get land because white farmers are closing them out on water rights.

Speaking to Sowetan on the sidelines of the Women in Water Summit in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, yesterday, Lamola said access to land goes hand in hand with water rights.

He called on women, as the people who work the land, to come with innovative ways to save water and also better contribute to the economy.

"Our economy is growing at less than 2% and women, who are the people working the land, need to better contribute with innovative ways to save the water which helps to work the land. They need to equip themselves with skills," he said.

"When it comes to land reform that we are on now, we need to give practical ownership of the land with water rights too. Our people are complaining that when they claim the land, they do not get water rights in the farms they claim.