Agriculture is by far the most dominant motivation for freshwater withdrawals in Africa, accounting for 83.1% of withdrawals (Wada et al. 2011). So finding a sustainable solution seems vital in order to improve and maintain food security in a region that is set to potentially be drastically affected by climate change and continues to suffer from vast socio-economic issues.
Source: http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2011/investing-africas-farms-—-and-its-future
Groundwater is proposed by many as an abundant, resilient and less variable alternative to rain-fed irrigation, especially in particularly seasonal and variable climates, predicted to be exacerbated by climate change (Pavelic et al. 2013).
Source: http://www.hydrology.nl/iahpublications/201-groundwater-cartoons.html
Over the next few months (and perhaps longer!), this blog seeks to explore the possibility of, and make a case for, groundwater as a future tool and resource for agricultural production and irrigation in Africa.
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