Groundwater development in Sub-Saharan Africa - a strategic overview of key issues and major needs

Abstract

The purpose of this case profile is to provide an overview of 'strategic groundwater development and management concerns' in Sub-Saharan Africa. The GW-MATE has based the overview on its cumulative experience of African groundwater, readily-available published or grey literature, opinion-seeking interviews of various 'key players' and the dialogue at the related IAH Conference on 'Groundwater for Poverty Reduction in Africa' prior to the G8 Summit in London on 29 June 2005 but a systematic assessment of the status of groundwater development and use is not attempted. An important question from the outset was whether a generalized overview was realistic, given the considerable hydrogeological variability and wide socioeconomic diversity of the region and on consideration it was judged valid to identify 'common issues, needs and approaches', whilst pointing out obvious exceptions. And not withstanding the patchy nature of the available information, the need of many countries for urgent and substantial investment in serious institutional reform to improve groundwater development and management is abundantly evident since without this effective use of available groundwater resources in the cause of reducing poverty and stimulating livelihoods will simply not be possible.