Chapter 12
Water Management Policy
for Freshwater Security in the Context
of Climate Change in Senegal
Cheikh Faye, Amadou Abdoul Sow, and Sidy Dieye
Abstract The impact of climate change on freshwater systems and its management
have been ongoing for many years and is projected to intensify as temperature, sea
level and rainfall variability increases. Senegal’s water resources are now threatened
by human activity of various origins and by the harmful effects of climate change.
This chapter addresses the extent to which water management policy ensures freshwater security in the context of climate change. Given the scale of water scarcity,
this study is limited to characterizing the relationship between water management
policy and freshwater security in the climate change context, focusing on data and
information from institutions with authority for water policy and minimization of
water scarcity. The discussion includes a case study on the impact of climate change
on water resources in the Gambia River Basin, which indicates that while there is a
great deal of attention paid to freshwater security policy, there is no consensus on
how to mitigate the effects of climate change to ensure water security. Water and
climate change are managed by different ministries, resulting in predictable conflicts
of authority and responsibility. Thus, it is necessary for the government to establish
an effective water policy, with clear, sustainable strategies to mitigate the impacts of
climate change for the sustainable freshwater security of the country.
Keywords Climate change · Water security · Water policy · Water management ·
Water scarcity
C. Faye (B)
Département de Géographie, UFR Sciences et Technologies, UASZ, Laboratoire de Géomatique
et D’Environnement, BP 523 Ziguinchor, Senegal
e-mail: cheikh.faye@univ-zig.sn
A. A. Sow · S. Dieye
Département de Géographie, Faculté Des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, UCAD, BP 5005,
Dakar-Fann, Senegal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
S. Diop et al. (eds.), Climate Change and Water Resources in Africa,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61225-2_12
255
Water Management Policy
for Freshwater Security in the Context
of Climate Change in Senegal
Cheikh Faye, Amadou Abdoul Sow, and Sidy Dieye
Abstract The impact of climate change on freshwater systems and its management
have been ongoing for many years and is projected to intensify as temperature, sea
level and rainfall variability increases. Senegal’s water resources are now threatened
by human activity of various origins and by the harmful effects of climate change.
This chapter addresses the extent to which water management policy ensures freshwater security in the context of climate change. Given the scale of water scarcity,
this study is limited to characterizing the relationship between water management
policy and freshwater security in the climate change context, focusing on data and
information from institutions with authority for water policy and minimization of
water scarcity. The discussion includes a case study on the impact of climate change
on water resources in the Gambia River Basin, which indicates that while there is a
great deal of attention paid to freshwater security policy, there is no consensus on
how to mitigate the effects of climate change to ensure water security. Water and
climate change are managed by different ministries, resulting in predictable conflicts
of authority and responsibility. Thus, it is necessary for the government to establish
an effective water policy, with clear, sustainable strategies to mitigate the impacts of
climate change for the sustainable freshwater security of the country.
Keywords Climate change · Water security · Water policy · Water management ·
Water scarcity
C. Faye (B)
Département de Géographie, UFR Sciences et Technologies, UASZ, Laboratoire de Géomatique
et D’Environnement, BP 523 Ziguinchor, Senegal
e-mail: cheikh.faye@univ-zig.sn
A. A. Sow · S. Dieye
Département de Géographie, Faculté Des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, UCAD, BP 5005,
Dakar-Fann, Senegal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
S. Diop et al. (eds.), Climate Change and Water Resources in Africa,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61225-2_12
255