concluded Project

Unlocking the potential of groundwater for the poor in sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, about a third of the urban population is likely to use groundwater obtained via self-supply. The practice of providing water for oneself without direct support from the government, donors, or others is driven by user demand and mostly, though not always, by the lack of alternatives.
2015 - 2020 · Now active

Between 2010 and 2050, the urban population in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to almost quadruple to over 1 billion people. Most of the growth will take place in slums and informal areas. Here, many use water from shallow wells, despite the fact that it is vulnerable to pollution. There are rarely any institutions effectively concerned with managing urban groundwater reserves.

In such complex environments, radical change is required to move away from non-existent or unsustainable practices towards improved governance and sustainable groundwater management, taking the interests of the poor into consideration. These radical changes need to be characterized by solid information and systems thinking.

In 2015–2020, SIWI participated in a research project called Experimenting with practical transition groundwater management strategies for the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on Kampala (Uganda), Arusha (Tanzania), and Dodowa outside Accra (Ghana). This was part of the interdisciplinary programme Unlocking the potential of groundwater for the poor in sub-Saharan Africa (UPGro). SIWI’s Dr Jenny Grönwall focused on the situation in Accra and Dodowa as an example of a rapidly growing, mixed peri-urban area where residents increasingly depend on groundwater.

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