Final Post: Conclusions

So water we doing in Africa?! (Excuse the pun, again). This blog started off explaining the concepts behind water scarcity in the African continent, commenting that scarcity is often due to economic factors as opposed to a physical lack of water. Water scarcity occurs when annual water supplies fall to 1,000m³ per person. Currently around 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical scarcity, but with climate change this number is set to increase as rainfall and temperature become more variable (UN Water). 

I went on to assess the options for tackling water scarcity and strategies African nations could adopt in the face of climate change. First ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ path approaches were compared, with a preference for the latter. As I stated: ‘Soft path methods are considerably cheaper than engineering options, and also incorporate local users in decision making processes’. 

From this we looked at methods focussing on economics (microfinance), charitable giving (NGOs/WASH charities), hard, large-scale infrastructure (water storage) and finally soft, small-scale projects (rainwater harvesting tanks). Along with a few other relevant topics I found interesting along the way! 

This blog has been close to my heart due to both my love for Africa and keen interest in water science and policy. By exploring different methods it is clear that the way forward is not easy and there are complex factors involved. Firstly the need to recognise and accept the effects climate change will have is crucial, particularly in Africa where the impacts are set to be the worst. Following this further vital research must take place with increased urgency to provide legitimate data to the sector. This data can then be used to inform policies and ideas/strategies for the future. 

My research has brought me to the conclusion that altruistic motives and kind intentions of Western nations to help water provision may not be as “good” as commonly thought. In order for African nations to source, have ownership, sustainably use, and also develop, the process needs to come from within Africa. Governments need to plan and allow for schemes, perhaps with foreign advice and some investment, to provide long-term water for citizens and see the benefits of economic development within their country due to this.

Small-scale projects such as rainwater harvesting show huge promise as they can be built in rural areas with minimal difficulty and contribute to food security through enabling land irrigation. Natural rainwater is used and there is little impact elsewhere. Individuals can take on these projects themselves as opposed to large infrastructure where many people are affected, for perhaps little gain, with not much say in its construction. 

Time to wrap up, but thank you for reading and I hope you lead a happy, water-conscious life!

I leave you with two photos of myself in my two favourite spots in Africa (so far): Livingstonia, Malawi (top) and Cape MacClear, Malawi (bottom), both featuring Lake Malawi. It's clear here that Africa is not the dry, arid region everywhere as often thought. In some regions there is an abundance of water, but policies/economics/infrastructure prevent access, leading to water scarcity.