Angola
Angola may hold key to region's water scarcity

afrol News, 12 August - Southern Africa at large is experiencing an increased water scarcity as the population grows by an estimated 2 percent annually. Angola however has the third largest water resources on the African continent and may therefore hold the key to the region's further development. Angola's peace may pave the way for greater infrastructure projects.

Addressing a Luanda conference about fighting poverty and the role of land last week, Angolan Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gilberto Lutukuta, reminded the organisers - three US organisations - that Angola has the third largest hydro resources in Africa and has an estimated 31.5 million hectares of arable lands. 

According to information from the Angolan government, Minister Lutukuta's first priority is to solve Angola's own problems; although rich in soils and water, decades of civil war and landmines has left most of potentially productive areas lying fallow. 

At the conference, he stated that Angola has potentials in soils, water and climate that permit a diversified use of land, adding that its use must be done to promote the country's development. "Land conflicts in Angola have not made viable its access and use, but reality in other countries warn us to be prudent in treating agrarian matters", he added. 

The Minister underlined that Angola's poverty rate is estimated at 60 percent of rural population. He stated that the poor people in rural areas have an average income of 65 percent of estimated needs in poverty line, against 78 percent in urban zones.

As de-mining efforts have started and many of the millions displaced by the civil war start returning to their homes, rural reconstruction slowly is beginning in some areas. Much of the basic infrastructure - roads and irrigation systems - is however totally destructed by the war. At present, Angola cannot feed its own population, and the country has fallen victim to an ongoing humanitarian disaster. While the country's water potential is vast, only 38 percent of the population has a secure water supply - in urban areas only 34 percent.

With time, however, Angola should have the resource basis to provide clean water and food to its population. Angola's renewable water resources amount to a yearly 158 km3, while the total yearly water withdrawals only amount to 0.48 km3. Given this, Angola might even turn out to be a water and food exporting nation within Southern Africa, given its vast resources. 

Last year, the Angolan government signed an agreement with semi-desert neighbour state Namibia, regulating the exploitation of water resources shared by two countries. The agreement comprised the rehabilitation of the Caluecqe Canal which runs from the Caluecqe dam on the Kunene border river in southern Angola to the Namibian border, the 'Namibia Economist' reported. 

Contrasting Angola, the Southern African region at large is characterised by water scarcity. The most significant characteristic of water resources for the region will be "increasing water scarcity as demand escalates under rapidly growing population pressures," according to the regional SADC body. In the quarter century between 1995 and 2020, the region's population is likely to almost double to 262 million people. 

- Unless remedied, growing water scarcity will severely limit SADC countries from addressing the development challenges of poverty reduction, food security, and industrial development, as briefly discussed in the next sub-sections, the regional body concludes. A peaceful Angola with its vast water resources might therefore become a key to further development in the region. 

Within the region, the strategic importance of Angolan water resources is an established fact. Angola has even been the scene of one of the modern world's armed water conflicts. In 1975, South African troops moved into Angola to occupy and defend the Ruacana hydropower complex, including the Gové Dam on the Kunene River. One of the main goals of South Africa's invasion was to take possession of and defend water resources for its colony Southwest Africa (Namibia).

Sources: Based on Angolan govt, SADC, press reports and afrol archives

© afrol News.    You can contact us at mail@afrol.com