RAINWATER HARVESTING IN ARID AND SEMI-ARID LANDS OF AFRICA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Authors:   West African Center for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), University for Development Studies P.O.BOX TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana, Umukiza Etienne ,   Civil and Environmental Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, Nairobi 00200, Kenya, Ntole Romain ,   West African Center for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), University for Development Studies P.O. BOX TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana, Chikavumbwa Sylvester R. ,   Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malawi-The Polytechnic, Blantyre, Malawi, Bwambale Erion ,   West African Center for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), University for Development Studies P.O. BOX TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Makerere University P.O.BOX 7062, Kampala, Uganda, Sibale Davis ,   West African Center for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), University for Development Studies P.O. BOX TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana. Department of Land and Water Resources, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR-NRC), P.O Box 143, Lilongwe, Malawi, Jeremaih Zechariah ,   West African Center for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), University for Development Studies P.O. BOX TL 1882, Tamale, Ghana. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Upper Nile University, P.0.Box1660, Malakal, South Sudan, Apollonio Ciro ,   Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo (VT), Italy, Petroselli Andrea ,   Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM), Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Published: October 2023

Aim of the study: Arid and semi-arid lands often face a shortage of freshwater due to uncontrolled runoff. In arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, rainwater harvesting is a promising solution that can be implemented for multiple purposes such as agriculture, recreation, flood control, and drinking water. This study highlighted numerous benefits of rainwater harvesting that can bridge the gap between water demand and availability. Although water scarcity remains a major constraint to life and economic development, it is an obvious fact that arid and semi-arid regions of Africa are slowly adopting effective rainwater harvesting measures. In arid and semi-arid areas of Africa limited knowledge and experiences regarding rainwater harvesting systems coupled with financial inadequacies, inexistence of feasibility studies, lack of understanding among farmers, and resistance to new technologies pose challenges. The present work highlights the benefits, opportunities and challenges associated with rainwater harvesting in arid and semi-arid lands of Africa. Based on the findings on benefits and challenges of water harvesting in arid and semi-arid lands of Africa, the present study recommends that policymakers should invest in mass education to adopt rainwater harvesting as complement to traditional water sources, engage experts to comprehensively design infrastructure for rainwater harvesting using necessary techniques that will optimise collection and storage. To make progress, further research is needed to identify potential zones for runoff harvesting, and rainwater harvesting should be integrated with the much-needed green revolution and climate change adaptations for land reclamation.