Half of Africans lack access to water
Regional-Africa, Economics, 2/10/2000

More than half of the African population lacks access to safe water while nearly two-thirds lack a sanitary means for excreta disposal, according to a document by the World Commission on Water for the 21st century.

The document, circulated at the ongoing Africa water vision conference in Abidjan, says that as a result almost half of all Africans suffer from one of the six main water-related diseases. Out of 46 countries in which bilharzia is endemic, 40 are in Africa, and 16 of the 19 countries reporting guinea worm disease are also in Africa.

According to the document, despite the 2% percent increase in agricultural production in Africa over the past three decades, current demand and supply trends show that cereal imports are expected to rise from the present annual 10 million tons to 30 million tons in 25 years because about one-third of the people in the region live in drought-prone areas.

"Average food supply in much of west Africa estimated at 2,430 calories per person per day is below what is regarded as the optimum level of nutritional supply of 2,700 calories per person per day," it notes.

The document adds that in the eastern and southern parts of Africa, the number of food insecure people has almost doubled from 22 million in the early 1980s to 39 million in the 1990s.

Scenarios suggest that if the area under irrigation were to grow by a factor of three to over 16 million hectares, it would only represent a 5% contribution to the required threefold food production increase needed by 2025.

The commission says that despite high levels of food insecurity in the region, most countries have substantial underutilized water potentials for irrigation expansion of about 39.5 million hectares.

Two-thirds of African countries have developed less than 20% of their potential in all but four countries in the region, where less than 5% of the cultivated area is irrigated.

Three countries with the most irrigation potential have each developed less that 10% of their potential irrigated area, and the scope for expansion of irrigation is considerable just as there is greater scope for expansion of rain-fed agriculture if agriculture is to make the necessary contribution to Africa's socioeconomic development.

The document says the use of water basins as a unit for water resources management is impossible without the cooperation between countries sharing international waters, which has the potential for increased conflicts among the sharing countries as water scarcity increases.

It adds that in international cooperation, the SADC protocol on shared watercourses as well as the Nile basin initiative and river basin authorities represent models for what can be achieved if countries cooperate over their shared water resources.

Issues being discussed at the Abidjan conference include the urgent provision of safe and adequate water and sanitation for all and equitable and sustainable use of Africa's water resources as well as the development of water resources for food security and agricultural development.

The vision also includes the development of water resources to stimulate socioeconomic development and the treatment of water as natural asset for the entire African continent.

Also being examined are ways to improve the sharing management of international water basins to stimulate efficient mutual regional economic development.

The objective of the African water stake holders conference is to review the draft vision and framework for action which will be presented at the second world water forum at the Hague in March.

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