The importance of harnessing Africa's groundwater for communities

According to John Thomas and colleagues from the Rockefeller Foundation, new information about Africa's groundwater resources should be used to improve the lives of vulnerable populations, using a human-centred approach to groundwater development.  It is estimated  that Africa's groundwater storage capacity is 100 times larger than the amount of freshwater resources available on the continent every year. This discovery creates an opportunity for meeting the needs of 300 million people who lack access to safe drinking water and 240 million who are food insecure.  However, the  debate so far has focused on what type of development is 'appropriate' for Africa", and this  'conservative' approach to the new findings misses the debate's human dimension, say Thomas and colleagues. African countries cannot afford to wait for sustainability concerns to be addressed before developing their groundwater resources. "No nation has ever lifted itself out of poverty without first developing its agricultural sector", they write. Link to full article available here.