Groundwater’s Contribution to Water Security in Africa

This working paper presents a summary of current understanding of groundwater in Africa along the themes of urban water security, socially inclusive and sustainable rural water services, groundwater for agricultural growth and transformation, and groundwater resources and renewability. Groundwater can help achieve universal and equitable access to resilient water services for both rural and urban populations in Africa. With the relevant methods and expertise, groundwater can be found across much of Africa, with even the least productive aquifers often capable of providing sufficient yields to supply communities with handpumps or low-intensity, small-scale irrigation schemes. The implications of resilient, safe, and sustainable water services for all, where groundwater forms a critical part of an integrated approach to water resource management, are significant and wide-reaching in terms of national growth, economic development, and poverty reduction.