A Continent Under Threat

Exploring Agricultural Water Use in Africa. 
Introduction.

Food security is a global issue today, particularly in countries where limited resources are finding it hard to meet the demands from rapidly growing populations. In this blog I want to explore the issue of water use for agriculture in Africa, where water scarcity is threatening food production.



Agriculture accounts for 70% of world's total water use. Think for yourself, a whole 850 liters of water per capita per day is required to produce the average person's daily food intake (Inocencio, Sally and Merrey, 2003). With rising populations ( population of Sub- Saharan Sfrica predicted to reach 1 billion by 2025) agricultural production must also increase to sustain the hungry people.


So in a sense it all comes down to water. To be able to feed its rising population and lift themselves out of poverty, Africa needs a reliable access and an efficient use of water for agricultural needs. But how can we achieve that?

In this blog I will discuss the issue of scarce water resources for agricultural production and whether there is an adequate solution to resolving the water crisis in relation to food security. In the following posts I will address these issues:

1. Water Scarcity and Water Stress Indicators: Does Africa have enough water?
2. Causes of Water Crisis in Africa
3. Effects and implications for food security
4. Improving agricultural water use efficiency

Keep reading my blog and check for weekly updates. I will be posting shortly :)