Record Details

Options for water storage and rainwater harvesting to improve health and resilience against climate change in Africa

CGSpace

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Options for water storage and rainwater harvesting to improve health and resilience against climate change in Africa
 
Creator Boelee, Eline
Yohannes, M.
Poda, Jean-Noel
McCartney, Matthew P.
Hagos F
Cecchi, Philippe
Kibret, S.
Laamrani, Hammou
 
Subject agriculture
climate
water storage
rainwater
 
Description West and East Africa experience high variability of rainfall that is expected to increase with climate change. This results in fluctuations in water availability for food production and other socioeconomic activities. Water harvesting and storage can mitigate the adverse effects of rainfall variability. But past studies have shown that when investments in water storage are not guided by environmental health considerations, the increased availability of open water surface may increase the transmission of water-related diseases. This is demonstrated for schistosomiasis associated with small reservoirs in Burkina Faso, and for malaria in Ethiopia around large dams, small dams, and water harvesting ponds. The concern is that the rush to develop water harvesting and storage for climate change adaptation may increase the risk for already vulnerable people, in some cases more than canceling out the benefits of greater water availability. Taking health issues into account in a participatory approach to planning, design, and management of rainwater harvesting and water storage, as well as considering the full range of water storage options would enable better opportunities for enhancing resilience against climate change in vulnerable populations in sub-Saharan Africa.
 
Date 2013-06
2014-02-19T07:59:20Z
2014-02-19T07:59:20Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Boelee E, Yohannes M, Poda JN, McCartney M, Hagos F, Cecchi P, Kibret S, Laamrani H. 2013. Options for water storage and rainwater harvesting to improve health and resilience against climate change in Africa. Regional Environmental Change 13 (3): 509-519.
1436-3798
1436-378X
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34924
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-012-0287-4
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyrighted; all rights reserved
Limited Access
 
Format p. 509-519
 
Publisher Springer Science and Business Media LLC
 
Source Regional Environmental Change