Promoting Development in Rural Africa through Water Management and Security

The agricultural sector is responsible for 72% of global water withdrawals, and is the biggest employer of the world’s most vulnerable and poor populations. Still, close to 84% of smallholder farms in low- and middle-income economies are located in water-scarce regions, with less than one third of them having access to irrigation (UN, 2024). These small-scale farmers also bear the heavy weight of land degradation and climate crisis. It is estimated that food production will need to increase by 50% by 2050 to meet the requirements of the growing world population (FAO, 2020). The agriculture sector amounts to 35% of total African GDP, yet a mere 4% of total government expenditure went into this sector (Hodder and Migwala, 2023). It is imperative to increase system resilience by reducing water-energy-food interdependencies through improved multisectoral policies, technologies, and adapted management. With the impacts of climate-related extreme events and the vulnerability of rural populations, an integrated approach to water management is the only way to close the water gap. Moving forward towards achieving global sustainable goals, rural communities must be empowered to ensure that they are the drivers of the expected socio-economic development through water development and management. This policy brief explores sustainable development in Africa through investment in rural development as the foundation for economic growth and community development. It provides a case study exploring the interrelationships of the resource nexus in Morocco, and the need to promote water as a catalyst for development and for development of policy coherence with related sectors.