Water and Food in Africa: 2022

Water scarcity refers to the situation of lacking access to safe drinking water. UN's sustainable development goal (SDG) 6 has shown that access the affordable, clean and safe drinking water is a  fundamental human right . The growing lack of water can be shown in two ways, economic and physical water scarcity.  Economic water scarcity  refers to the institutional failings that prevent people from accessing safe water, such as poor infrastructure and lack of planning from a politically unstable government.  Physical water scarcity  literally means the lack of water supply which may result from seasonality and climate change. Unfortunately, Africa is struggling with both types of water scarcity due to many factors such as government failure, climate change and especially  the rapid population growth  with a rate above 2% annually. Water scarcity is predicted to reach a dangerously high level by 2025. By now,  1 in 3 Africans is facing water scarcity . In sub-Saharan Africa,  400 mil

From my previous studies and human ecology course learnt in year one, water and food scarcity are always constant threats facing mankind. Africa is usually recognised as a vulnerable continent that constantly faces water and food crises. The situation in 2022 has worsened economically, politically and environmentally.   To understand the current situation, potential challenges, and further discussions about individual countries, it is helpful for the readers to know my viewpoint on this complicated issue. Since lack of food and water is an obvious 'tag' on Africa, my introduction post will briefly clarify the typical stereotypes of African studies and help readers to better understand my future blogs. I will try to avoid the inequalities within my writing and be objective in writing about Africa. Understand the complexity of 'Africa.' A typical picture of Africa: big and red sunset, wild empty savanna. Source Before going into details about water and food in Africa, the