Water Scarcity Facts In Africa

While there are a number of reasons that water scarcity occurs in these countries one thing remains the same.

Water scarcity facts in africa. Millions of people are suffering the ill effects of having little to no safe water to drink. 844 million people do not have access to clean and safe water. A third of the world s biggest groundwater systems are already in distress richey et al 2015. About 75 percent of the region s water resources are comprised primarily of eight major river basins.

In both africa and asia women walk an average distance of 4 miles every day which takes about 6 hours to carry a 44 pound container of water for their household from a water source which has the potential to make them sick global water institute. With the increasing variability of current. The typical container used for water collection in africa the jerry can weighs over 40 pounds when it s completely full. Causes of water scarcity in africa water is unevenly distributed throughout sub saharan africa.

In sub saharan africa women and girls spend an estimated 40 billions hours a year collecting water. More than 70 of agriculture practiced in sub saharan africa is rainfed agriculture. It is estimated that women and children spend around 40 billion hours a year gathering water in sub saharan african countries. Experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year mekonnen and hoekstra 2016 with the existing climate change scenario by 2030 water scarcity in some arid and semi arid places will displace between 24 million and 700 million people.

Agricultural and food supply. An estimated 400 million school days are lost each year due to water related diseases with 272 million lost to diarrhea alone. Allow me to share with you some shocking facts on the water situation in the continent below. Water agriculture nutrition and health have always been linked but recently became recognized and researched as a cause and effect loop.

And with the increased rate of water pollution in africa so is the availability of clean water becoming limited. Climatic and environmental changes have decreased these water resources even more. Although water stress is present in countries around the globe no areas are more affected than certain countries in africa. While water scarcity is a serious issue that affects more than 748 million people globally no region has been more affected than sub saharan africa.

With unclean water sources often miles from villages many of the able bodied members of a community are forced to spend hours each day simply finding and transporting water. Poverty has become an epidemic in parts of africa due to political instability ethnic conflicts and a general lack of necessary resources like safe clean and properly sanitized water. Out of the 54 counties in africa 14 of them experience severe water shortage issue and 11 more are expected to have the same experience in a few years.