4 - The root of the problem...

 

Before I move on to talk more about gender-related issues, I want to quickly explain the root of the problem: water insecurity. It is because of this that the task of water collection can be so difficult for women like Sabina - I feel it is only appropriate to explain why that is. As previously mentioned, Africa has plentiful water resources. Although it is the second driest continent on Earth, there is, in fact, enough water to support its population. So, why are 25 of its 54 countries either water-stressed or scarce (Gachanja et al, 2010)? Today I will shed some light on Africa’s water crisis. 

Surface water

To start with, Africa’s surface water is highly variable, partly due to seasonal shifts of the Inter-Tropical Conversion Zone (ITCZ). The northwards movement of Hadley cells between January and August strongly affect precipitation patterns across the continent, and low levels of rainfall are brought to the already dry Sahara and Kalahari deserts.

Annual average precipitation (mm) in Africa: (Siebert, 2014)

Maps to show the shifting ITCZ across Africa: (Ziegler et al, 2013)

In many cases, rainfall patterns determine river flows, and a 10% reduction in rainfall can result in 20-50% reductions in river discharge (de Wit and Stankiewicz, 2006). Africa has the most variable river discharge in the world (McMahon et al 2007), particularly in Southern Africa, and rural communities are disproportionately affected. This is because most of Africa’s rural and peri-rural populations depend on rivers and catchment areas for their water supply (Gachanja et al, 2010). High evapotranspiration rates also impact on surface water, as 70-90% of precipitation can be consumed. Such variability makes Africa's surface water hard to rely on. 

Droughts: On the rise

Africa’s water issues can also be attributed to severe droughts. They are thought to be the continent's principal type of natural disaster and are the most common trigger of household insecurity (Calow et al 2010). While groundwater aquifers can be reliable, and do contribute to 75% of drinking water, droughts often see to their over-depletion (Gachanja et al, 2010). This occurs in the immediate vicinity of wells and boreholes, as higher demands in times of drought can reduce the transmissivity of such mechanisms (Calow et al 2010). 

 A dried-out field in Southern Africa: (Desai, 2020)

Global climate change is worsening the impacts of drought, particularly in climate ‘hot spots’ like Southern Africa, where around 11 million people have been severely affected (Desai, 2020). Furthermore, as rainfall becomes more intense (Allan et al, 2010), and less frequent (Allan and Soden, 2008), dry areas become more susceptible to flash flooding and landslides, further polluting already scarce water sources. As droughts become more severe, the search for water will only become more arduous.

Is it clean?

A predominant issue for Africa’s water supply is that it can be unclean; around 50% of those in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to a safe water supply (Nalik, 2016); Somalia and Ethiopia are thought to have the highest rates of unsafe water access at 70% and 62% (Africa Public Health, 2012). Often, water may be exposed to human excrements or chemical contaminants found in bedrock, and without purification, diseases such as dysentery, cholera or typhoid can spread (Gachanja et al, 2010). I will talk more about sanitation issues from the standpoint of gender in my future blog posts. 

Inadequate infrastructure 

Another unmissable point for why Africa suffers from water insecurity is the inadequate infrastructure that exists in many areas. A study conducted in Ethiopia found that, in times of drought, over-use and stress often caused wells to break (Calow et al 2010). A recent podcast I listened to on the experiences of water collection for women in South Africa explained that old, non-functioning water pipes result in the loss of ‘1160 million cubic metres’ of water per year. Furthermore, I learnt that where water tanks are provided in South Africa, they aren’t regularly filled up, and often do not have stands, so water cannot be properly accessed (Climate Justice Coalition, 2020). 

In many cases, it is that the infrastructure simply does not exist. Sabina had spent every day of her life since the age of 7 collecting water from over an hour away, however, ‘World Vision’ were able to supply her with a tap right on her doorstep, emphasising the point that Africa’s water issues largely stem from infrastructural insufficiency.  

I have briefly spoken about some of the issues that cause water insecurity in Africa, and while I could go into more detail about each of them, I hope that I have effectively summarised some of the obstacles that the continent must face in its developmental approach. It is largely due to these factors that women like Sabina have to dedicate most of their time to providing water for their families, and so I feel that these issues are highly relevant in assessing why exactly the process of water collection can be so challenging.