Water is an issue that relates to all aspects of human development in africa, including health, agriculture, education, economics, and even peace and stability. Water security and the global water agenda unwater. This virtuous cycle revolves around assured access to affordable clean water, sanitation and health facilities. Water as a sector in world affairs is reaching a tipping point. With a complete lack of water, humans can only live up to 3 to 5 days on average. To adequately address the issue of water scarcity in africa, the united nations economic commission for africa emphasizes the need to invest in the development of africa s potential water resources to reduce unnecessary suffering, ensure food security, and protect economic gains by effectively managing droughts, floods, and desertification. From a pure demand perspective, africa s infrastructure deficit is considerable. Water security the water supply crisisa decline in the quality and quantity of freshwateris perceived by many experts to be one of the top global risks in terms of likelihood and impact. May 08, 20 unwater proposes the following definition of water security. Water security, the capacity to provide and protect sustainable access to potable water, is increasingly an issue of concern at a local, national, and transboundary scale. A stanford project in jordan, a nation that is traditionally a stabilizing force in the middle east, holds promise for better water management and less. Water scarcity can mean scarcity in availability due to physical shortage, or scarcity in access due to the failure of institutions to ensure a regular supply or due to a lack of adequate infrastructure. Based on the map published by the consultative group on international agricultural research cgiar, the countries and regions suffering most water stress are north africa, the middle east, india, central asia, china, chile, colombia, south africa,canada and australia. South africa is a water scarce country with increasing pressure on its water resources.
But the continent faces the challenge of providing enough water for its people in a. You may include maps, graphs etc, but reference them properly and if. Mar 22, 2018 interview with henk smit, managing director, vovani water products, south africa on water security. Global water security key judgments our bottom line. Inequality remains the primary barrier to achieving universal.
The stockholm world water weeks focus on water for development comes at an opportune time. The water security of all matters equally, irrespective of social, economic or political disparities. The pan africa chemistry network pacn was set up by the royal society of chemistry, with a special focus on the millennium. There is sufficient water for food and energy security 3. Pdf quantitative maps of groundwater resources in africa.
Summary of the study the need for integrated, basinwide, water resource management is considered a prime security objective for the prospects of sadc regional cooperation. Interview with henk smit, managing director, vovani water products, south africa on water security. This essay details the causes of and status of freshwater scarcity in this region and its broad and alarming economic, social, and political implications, which have a direct bearing on the areas growth and security. Sep 20, 2015 subsaharan africa is the home to hundreds of millions of people who suffer from water scarcity issues 2. Agriculture requires large quantities of water for irrigation and of good quality for various. Future food and water security will be determined by the interaction between population growth, income and agriculture. Water is one of the most integral and important aspects of daily life for every human being, for example, food, clothing, and almost everything else humans interact with involves water. In this region, only an estimated 44 percent of the urban population and 24 percent of the rural population have adequate sanitation 4. The report explores how countries can anticipate and act to strengthen water security, rather than waiting to react to the inevitable disruptions of water crises. There is strong evidence that warming in africa has increased significantly over the past 50 to 100 years, with clear effects on the health, livelihoods and food security of people in africa. Mar 15, 2012 download pdf key points south africa is characterised by a paradox of instances of food insecurity amid a national food surplus. This makes south africa the worlds 30th driest country. Drought in africa has been extensively researched, particularly from meteorological, agricultural, and food security perspectives.
Water stress in subsaharan africa council on foreign relations. By 2025, all countries in the region are expected to be in a state of water vulnerability, with most being in states of water stress or water scarcity. Possessing 6 percent of the worlds population, the region of the middle east and north africa has less than 2 percent of the worlds renewable freshwater supply. Clean, reliable water supplies are vital for industry, agriculture, and energy production. An introduction to south africas water source areas. Experts say wise economic development focused on infrastructure and improved treaties on water. Therefore, water and water security is going to be a crucial focus for governments in the next few decades, especially since the population is expected to reach. Drought conditions in the somali region of ethiopia not only affect the livelihoods of farmers and pastoralists, it exacerbates tensions over scarce water resources.
Water is complex because it is linked to almost everything in the world. Water security in south africa page 5 development planning division working paper series no. Yet the worlds water systems face formidable threats. Some projections estimate that south africa already exploits about 98% of its available water supply resources. Making the most of scarcity accountability for better water management in the middle east and north africa. According to the pacific institute while regional impacts will vary, global climate change will potentially alter agricultural productivity, freshwater availability and quality, access to vital minerals, coastal and island flooding, and more. Water security in south africa page 3 development planning division working paper series no. Water security in africa how innovative financing can enable climate resilient development the african continent finds itself caught within a perfect storm, facing two significant developmental challenges in supporting rapid growth and preparing for climate change. The business focuses on all industries and not only water purification plants.
Adapting to climatic variability along international basins in the middle east. Subsaharan africas urban water blueprint the nature. This booklet contains the overview, as well as a list of contents, from beyond scarcity. Measuring global water security towards sustainable. Over the next two decades and more, the global push for food and energy security and for sustaining urbanization will place new and increasing demands on the water sector.
The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human wellbeing, and socioeconomic development, for ensuring protection against waterborne pollution and waterrelated disasters, and. Beyond improved urban water security, naturebased solutions provide multiple benefits for. Inequality remains the primary barrier to achieving. The most immediately apparent impact of water scarcity in africa is on the continents health. In this report we investigate the status of subsaharan africas urban water sources and the potential for catchment protection to benefit cities, rural livelihoods and nature.
Water security is the protection of adequate water supplies for food, fiber, industrial, and residential needs for expanding populations, which. Water security is achieved when there is enough water for everyone in a region and the water supply is not at risk of disappearing. Ipm1730 food and water security in africa open university. Subsaharan africa suffers from greater levels of water stress than many other regions in the world. Transboundary aquifer map for africa water, land and. Water is a precondition for human existence and for the sustainability of the planet. Water stress in subsaharan africa council on foreign. This uneca chart compares water availability for countries throughout africa from 1990 to 2025. Unwater proposes the following definition of water security. Taking steps to address water risks water security for better lives provides guidance on how to apply a riskbased approach to water security through a threestep process. Water insecurity looms as a major global issue global. South africa is a waterscarce country with increasing pressure on its water resources. Studies have predicted that the average global temperature may increase by 1. The africa water vision for 2025 african development bank.
Updated information and interactive maps africawater. Water use has been growing globally at more than twice the rate of population increase in the. Water and food security are the key challenges under climate change as both are highly vulnerable to continuously changing climatic patterns. Protecting water catchment areas is a smart investment opportunity for government, civil society and business leaders across africa. We are a waterscarce country with rainfall distributed unevenly in our landscape, inconveniently. Aug 03, 2006 subsaharan africa suffers from greater levels of water stress than many other regions in the world. South africas high percapita usage rates are also, partly, a function of high levels of nonrevenue water i. Figure 5 shows that water security is low in many countries in africa and asia, whereas the criteria for water security is met in scandinavian countries, new zealand, australia, canada, japan, and throughout western europe.
Threequarters of large cities in subsaharan africa source at least half of their. Africa is endowed with large and often underutilized aquifer resources that contain excellent quality water and could provide water security in times of drought. Water security in the middle east and north africa franklin. During the next 10 years, many countries important to the united states will experience water problemsshorta ges, poor water quality, or floodsthat will risk instability and state failure, increase regional tensions, and distract them from working with the united states on. Water insecurity looms as a major global issue by julia pyper this article originally appeared in climatewire. Africa is heavily reliant on groundwater resources, with an estimated 75% of the population dependent on this resource for basic water supplies. It is important to note that water security is low in part of usa primarily due to excessive pumping of groundwater. Every community and ecosystem on earth depends on water for sanitation, hygiene, and daily survival. As if the scorched fields of the great plains or the stories of women who walk miles to fetch water. An introduction to south africas water source areas page 8 an introduction to south africas water source areas page 9 the availability of freshwater is one of the major limiting factors to south africas development. Vovani has a satellite office in potchefstroom in the north west province of south africa, as well as their warehouse in kempton park, which is in gauteng.
Energy security is a challenge, in particular with the increasing prominence of hydropower in africas current and future energy mix. A selected group of water professionals from academia. It then reflects on whether the country is water secure and, if not, what is required to rectify. Introduction and purpose 7 objective 7 scope 7 methodology 7 2.
On these pages, explore the multiple dimensions of water and sanitation. The middle east and north africa is a global hotspot of unsustainable water use, especially of groundwater. Water security in africa global water partnership gwp. However, the impact of drought on water security, particularly ground water dependent rural water supplies, has received much less attention. Climate change and challenges of water and food security. On the other hand, water insecurity acts as a drag on growth and poses a threat to human wellbeing and ecosystem health across a range of measures. Water scarcity is also increasing in south asia israel. In water security in the middle east, edited by jean axelrad cahan, 14566. Water security in the middle east and north africa. Critical perspectives for policymakers needed at the household level to secure growth and development for productivity, incomegeneration and food security. This is a key part of gwps contribution to the amcow work program to address africas water challenges. The effects of overpopulation on water resources and water.
This often forces those living in water deprived regions to turn to unsafe water resources, which, according to the world health organization, contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases. Emphasizes the importance of water security in the middle east and north africa mena region in a global context, including impacts on human wellbeing and economic prosperity. The israeli holistic approach to water security draws. The demand for the groundwater in africa is set to rise, as a result of population growth, climate change and growing food insecurity. Access to safe water and sanitation contributes to improved health and helps prevent the spread. Urgent interventions are needed to protect water security within this rapidly developing country. This paper reports on an interdisciplinary water security colloquium, convened by the south african young academy of science in 2014. Subsaharan africa is the home to hundreds of millions of people who suffer from water scarcity issues 2. This document also briefly discusses successful experiences of african. Know the risks a significant obstacle to improving water security is often a lack of knowledge on. Ipm1730 food and water security in africa the open university. More than a billion people currently live in waterscarce regions, and as many as 3.
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