Introduction: Complexities of Africa’ s Water & Food Situation

Introduction: Complexities of Water & Food Situation In Africa

Africa needs to be written without bias

From the moment Africa began to be featured in Western media narratives, there has been a persistent tendency to overlook the continent's rich diversity. Literatures and periodicals have failed to acknowledge the intricate factors underlying Africa's challenges with water, food, and social issues. This contributed to a reductive and simplistic perception among the general Western public. However, as Wainaina articulates in his work, such monolithic Western portrayals cannot capture the multifaceted reality of the continent. There is much more to Africa that was hidden.

Presently, Africa's population exceeds 1.4 billion individuals. This significant number reflects the continent's immense cultural diversity. As reported by the United Nations and other authoritative bodies, Africa is home to over 3,315 ethnic groups and more than 2,115 living languages. The incredibly rich cultural, natural and historical background of Africa compels us to re-evaluate the terminology we currently use to describe the continent.

Challenges of this continent have been escalated in 2023. Issues were exacerbated by economic, political, and environmental uncertainties. Several regional and domestic conflicts brought more humanitarian challenges to this continent. Therefore, it is crucial to embrace its complexities in the realms of water and food scarcity. In my forthcoming series of blog posts, I will employ the concept of diversity as an underlying framework to dissect the intricate interplay between water and food dynamics within Africa. The discourse will then be extend to the nuances of water management and food production. Additionally, case study and detailed research will be included.

In the POV of Africa: Why food issues matters so much? Why water and food in Africa matters?

One simple way to put it is that food and water are essential for survival. According to The United Nation’s article, the fundamental human right to food is crucial for maintaining physical and mental health. However, the truth is different. According to World Bank, ‘at least one in five Africans goes to bed hungry and an estimated 140 million people in Africa face acute food insecurity’.

Looking more closely, as International Monetary Funds reports, most part of the continent endured an inflation in 2023. Sub-Sahara area are reported having an average 23.7% increase of food price. 

Besides from the rising price, the production of food in Africa can also hardly meet an adequate amount. The self-sufficiency rate in food production across African countries is alarmingly low. Above facts genuinely proof that food is still a mainstream issue needs to be discussed. Therefore, it's not surprising to state that the topic of water and food in Africa demands our urgent and focused attention.

What’s Next?

It is widely acknowledged that the Africa continent has an unequal water resource across the continent. Not only the difference between rainfall and groundwater, but the variation of water provision between the rural and city area. In my next blog, I plan to delve deeper into how water is sourced and used in Africa, particularly focusing on its role in food production.