Water and Environmental Change in Africa

In my final blog I would like to reflect on what I have covered in the series of my posts. In my first blog I brought up the need to consider Africa’s complexity, to see the land, not as a whole but to recognise the diversity it holds in all aspects. I also aimed to, with case studies of different regions in Africa, examine in detail the interaction between changing environment and water in order to reflect on water management strategies in Africa. During the process of reviewing the case studies, I have further realised that the concept of applying ‘complexity’ can go way beyond the simple physical characteristics of a place or region. The term ‘variation’ and ‘complicity’ holds not just topographical, geological and hydrogeological meaning, but social, cultural and developmental ones as well. After my third post I encountered numerous readings that broadened my initially narrowed view of the definition of ‘environmental change’. Realising that the term can go beyond natural enviro...

Under the scenario of rapid urbanisation in Africa, the pressure on water supply is on multiple stakeholders. Moreover, infrastructure development has not kept pace with the growth of informal settlements. The population of the slum, which makes up about 60% of the city’s inhabitants , is highly vulnerable to and disadvantaged by the unpredictable changing water supply system under climate change.  Therefore, noting the fact that in many cases infrastructural development often lags behind settlement and population growth , we came to ask the question: how can different stakeholders take their role in assisting a more effective, sustainable and fair water supply system in African cities? I will use an example, Kampala in Uganda, to illustrate the significance and benefits of a well-managed water supply system. National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Uganda NWSC Uganda is a public utility company that is owned by the state of Uganda. In the year of 1972, the company first est...