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INTRODUCTION
Freshwater is essential for sustaining life on Earth and access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right. However, in recent years, this vital resource has faced various human induced pressures, stemming from factors such as rapid population growth, urbanization, shifting consumption habits with improved living standards, climate variability, and changes in pollution patterns. Today a staggering 2.2 billion people lack access to properly managed drinking water services, leading to severe consequences for both their individual lives and society as a whole. Its central role in achieving all other 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) makes it one of the most urgent development challenges of our time. More specifically, it is an imperative, underpinning factor for the achievement of zero hunger, gender equity, improved health, education, livelihoods, ecosystems, and overall sustainability.
Observed annually on 22nd of March since 1993, World Water Day is dedicated to raise awareness on the significance of freshwater resources for society’s basic functioning, the immensity of the global population lacking this basic right, while ultimately serving as a call to action and inspiring efforts to address the worldwide water crisis.
This year’s theme “Water for Peace” urges us to examine the intricate web connecting water, peace, and food security. The challenges regarding water scarcity, conflict, and food insecurity, especially in Africa, requires an in-depth understanding of the core issues at hand as well as the collaborative efforts which will be needed by a multitude of actors to pave the way for sustainable development.
THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS AND AFRICA
Throughout the last two decades, there has been continuous improvement in global access to safely managed drinking water, which is defined as water from improved sources like pipes, boreholes, or protected wells that is accessible on-site, available when needed, and free from contamination. This significant progress is evident as the percentage of the global population with access to safely managed drinking water has risen from 62% in 2000 to 74% in 2020. However, the world is far from achieving SDG 6 – universal access to clean water and sanitation by 20309 .
Water scarcity is described as the increasingly limited availability of water resources. It can be categorized into two main types: economic and physical scarcity. Economic water scarcity arises from institutional shortcomings such as inadequate planning, investment, and infrastructure, which hinder access to water. On the other hand, physical scarcity is a consequence of climate change, manifested in phenomena like droughts and altered weather patterns.
Looking more specifically at the African continent, Sub-Saharan Africa is grappling with both forms of scarcity, and continues to lag behind other regions, bearing one of the largest concentration of people with low access to drinking water services. In 2020, just 64% of the population in SubSaharan Africa had access to even the most fundamental drinking water services, in contrast to over 90% in the remaining six regions. In fact, a 2022 WHO/UNICEF report outlines that water scarcity impacts one out of every three Africans, with 411 million individuals in Africa still lacking access to essential drinking water services. The sheer lack of basic services is further exacerbated in rural areas in comparison to urban areas.
Water constitutes a crucial resource, significantly influencing Africa's economic prospects. With the continent's population increasing rapidly, the demand for water is set to rise. Limited access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services hampers economic opportunities. Without sufficient planning and provisions to meet the needs of Africa's population, economic water scarcity will persist as a significant challenge. In addition, the effects of climate change, such as droughts, are anticipated to result in projected water scarcity for approximately 230 million Africans and up to 460 million residing in regions where water demand periodically surpasses the available supply by 2025. This situation also has implications for food security as the continent's population continues to expand.
WATER – FOOD NEXUS
The intricate connection between water availability and food production is particularly crucial in today's context. Around 70% of the Earth's freshwater is utilized by agriculture, mainly for irrigating crops and raising livestock. Inadequate water for irrigation hampers the cultivation of diverse and nutritious food crops. Essentially, food security is reliant on water security.
The water-food nexus is particularly pronounced in Africa, where agriculture forms the backbone of many economies. The majority of sub-Saharan Africa relies heavily on agriculture, with nearly 60% of its population depending on it as a primary source of income. African nations also look to thriving agriculture to drive and boost their economies and ensure food security for their citizens. However, water scarcity directly impacts agricultural productivity, affecting the livelihoods of millions who depend on farming for sustenance. In recent years, the region has been experiencing a growing prevalence of droughts and erratic rainfall, leading to heightened economic instability and a rise in food insecurity.
Already 282 million individuals across Africa, or 1 in 5 people, are undernourished, marking an uptick of 57 million individuals since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, over a billion people lack the means to access a nutritious diet, while approximately 30 percent of children endure stunted growth due to malnutrition.
WATER AS A TRIGGER FOR WAR
The rapidness and unpredictability of climate change mean the rising demand for limited water resources necessitates urgent action.
Over the last decades, Africa has seen numerous long-standing conflicts among countries over water resources, primarily related to livestock. More notably, in countries such as Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, among others, where very low rainfall, drought spells, or periods of flooding – all due to climate change – have exacerbated pre-existing territorial or natural resource-related tensions. violent conflicts have broken out among herders looking for water, pasture, and grazing land, and between other herder groups or armed forces. Similar conflicts have arisen in Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso between farmers and herders concerning water resources and land.
Cameroon also encountered a violent confrontation over water between fishermen and herders near the Chad border in December 2021. The disagreement regarding water rights in the shrinking Lake Chad resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals and forced approximately 100,000 people from their homes as the two groups clashed. According to Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute, there has been an increasing occurrence of violence stemming from disputes over the management and availability of freshwater due to drought.
Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan have been in a prolonged dispute over fresh water in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) for the last 12 years. The conflict regarding the GERD is a continuation of a historical disagreement between Egypt and Sudan, the downstream nations of the Nile River, and Ethiopia, as an upstream country. This dispute revolves around access to the waters of the Nile River, which are vital for the livelihoods of millions of individuals residing in Egypt and Sudan.
Susanne Schmeier, a senior lecturer specializing in water law and diplomacy at IHE Delft, remarked, "Once conflicts escalate, they are hard to resolve and can have a negative impact on water security, creating vicious cycles of conflict." This negative feedback loop fuelled by conflict is further compounded by other intertwined elements, such as food insecurity and forced migration, often subsequently arising as a consequence of water.
It is thus evident that in many African nations, water scarcity can be a potential catalyst for conflict – it is not just an environmental issue, but a complex challenge intertwined with political, social, and economic factors. In regions where water resources are scarce, communities are forced to compete for this vital resource - disparities in water access become a basis for social and economic inequalities, often exacerbating existing tensions and conflicts, and leading to heightened geopolitical tensions and potential conflicts25,26. Moreover, in a world where we are seeing so many disputes over water, the added consequence of food insecurity as a result of dwindling fresh water sources coupled with the volatility of climate change, mean it is imperative to treat both with utmost priority for the continent’s peaceful future.
WATERING SEEDS OF HOPE AND PEACE
Challenges related to water scarcity are increasing globally, but there are numerous ways to mitigate these risks. The role of governments in addressing water-related challenges cannot be overstated. While climate-related water issues are a significant global issue to tackle involving numerous countries and stakeholders, there are many initiatives which national governments can spearhead for their respective countries.
Some solutions suggested by the World Resources Institute include implementing water demand restrictions in water-stressed regions, upgrading and implementing efficient irrigation systems, promoting drought-resistant crops, establishing social safety nets, tackling low-hanging fruits such as food loss and food waste, addressing population growth, improving data and information systems on water, investing in infrastructure like dams and levees, among other manageable solutions. Ultimately, African governments must commit to investing in water infrastructure, adopting climate-smart agricultural practices, as well as policies which prioritize these initiatives.
The theme of this year’s World Water Day, "Water for Peace," recognizes the intertwined nature of water access, food security, and peacebuilding in the African context. The path forward involves a collaborative and holistic approach, where a variety of stakeholders from national Governments to communities, and international partners working together, to ensure that peace, prosperity, and individual well-being is a reality for Africa.
About CERFAM
The Regional Centre of Excellence against Hunger and Malnutrition (CERFAM) is a centre specialised in knowledge management, technical assistance, and South-South cooperation, created in 2019 by the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP) to accelerate progress toward ending hunger and malnutrition on the continent.
Embedded within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, CERFAM identifies, documents, promotes and disseminates good practices and lessons learned while facilitating the provision of technical expertise and capacity building to support the implementation of good practices through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).
The Centre aims to bring together all initiatives in the field of nutrition, Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF), community resilience, and value chain optimization with a focus on post-harvest losses in a synergy of action with relevant stakeholders.