Yesterday, I came across a video on YouTube that talks about desalination. As I have been writing this blog about water and food issues in Africa over the term, this sparks my curiosity and makes me wonder why seawater desalination is not widely adopted to solve the continent’s water scarcity?
Desalination is a process in which salt water is transformed into freshwater for human use. By pumping seawater into treatment plants, salt and other minerals are then filtered out from the water, making it suitable for irrigation, or even drinking (Micale et al. 2009). The only requirement for desalination is supply of seawater and enormous amount of energy. With these two crucial elements, we can have a very reliable, and nearly unlimited supply of freshwater. Africa has a coastline of 30,500 km, and such method is suitable for coastal locations with easy access to seawater (Micale et al. 2009). In 2018, Cape Town suffered an alarming water crisis, in which the highly developed South African city is running out of freshwater supply and approaching its ‘Day Zero’. In fact, the city is located just by the coast where the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean meet, yet the people of Cape Town have nothing they could do with the water in the ocean. Imagine if the city has desalination plants and technologies, such water crisis could be easily solved.
Meanwhile in Morocco, the government recognises its benefits and is constructing a desalination plant to supply water for the city of Agadir. Once completed, the plant will supply treated freshwater to a massive irrigation system for farming activities in the Chtouka Plain (Reuters, 2022). It is expected to improve agricultural productivity and crop yield in the region. It is, however, noteworthy that desalination does have its drawbacks. Major concerns of desalination include environmental pollution, discharge of brine and chemicals, as well as the high energy consumption (Elsaid et al. 2020).
Besides modern technologies, some tradition farming techniques can also help African farmers to overcome environmental challenges and increase productivity. Soil and water conservation methods, such as water harvesting, can retain green water for crops. For example, Fanya-juu terraces in Kenya utilizes terracing to conserve moisture in the soil (Saiz et al. 2016). Meanwhile, farmers in Ethiopia and Sudan adopt natural storage systems to store run-off, as well as crops rotation to improve soil structure and nutrients. These techniques are wisdom of the aged and have long been proven to be effective in increasing agricultural productivity.
Reflections
This blogging journey has finally come to an end. In the past weeks, I have covered the complexity of water scarcity issue in Africa due to climatic, geographical and institutional factors. Besides, various adaption measures, from groundwater, irrigation to virtual trade and desalination, are discussed. I understand that there is no one single and easy solution to the water and food crisis in Africa. Instead, we need to consider the pros and cons, as well as the unique characteristics of every context when choosing the most viable option.
To tackle food insecurity, I argue that sustainability is the key. The people of Africa have to understand that the responsible and sustainable use of natural resources is crucial for not only individual’s, but also the continent’s success in the long run. Be it the usage of groundwater, the adoption of irrigation systems, or the introduction of modern technologies, African nations have to take a sustainable approach in planning these adaption strategies in order to tackle water scarcity and achieve food security in the long run.
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