What's the future...

Climate change predictions. Hydro-politics. Shifting farming methods. Increased investment and technology. Virtual water. All of these have been explored throughout the past months in relation to water and food security issues. By exploring these topics in different posts, I hope to have imparted my best possible understanding of Africa’s problems surrounding water scarcity and food insecurity. 

Climate change. This now undisputed phenomenon is undoubtedly affecting African water and hence food productivity, however, some scientific findings aren’t as definite as they may seem. This makes planning for climate change even more difficult. Some models suggest that East Africa should get wetter under climate change but it is currently getting drier. As I have eluded to before, Africa’s adaptation in dealing with the consequences of climate change and today’s ever-changing physical landscape will be crucial as well as support from other developed world nations. We have seen farming methods and knowledge transfer from Asian success stories and believe Africa could continue to progress in this respect. However, I am not suggesting Africa merely has to mimic Asian techniques. Africa has it’s own unique problems such as the Nile river basin conflict.

My first post posed the question whether Africa can actually feed the world or will it continue to struggle to feed its own population. By investigating this topic, I can conclude that current food and water insecurities are not unsolvable. I believe that a combination of good governance (on a more local scale), adaptation, unification and enhancements in farming methods and technology will slowly mean less and less of Africa’s population will be without food and water.

Thankyou for your continued support and reading of my blog. I hope you were educated and thoroughly enjoyed it !