2 Africa-Wide Trends in Development and Water …
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these countries particularly vulnerable to climate change; they are also generally
in need of investment in infrastructure.
• Emerging economies that are growing rapidly are generally in the process of a
shift from cultivation or extraction towards manufacturing. Although rural poverty
challenges remain, these countries are generally undergoing increased urbanization with economic and social development leading to improved human welfare
indices. Development tends to focus on ensuring sustained investment, diversification and adding value to economic activity and trade, while providing livelihoods
in rural and peri-urban areas. Water and air quality may be rising on the political
agenda. In this phase, blue water consumption begins to grow in industrial and
urban areas; in some cases, this dynamic may increase the challenge of balancing
infrastructure and institutional governance and management issues.
• Developed economies have generally shifted to a consumption-based, servicedominated economy supported by trade and by specialization in manufacturing
and commodities, with high rates of urbanization. The focus here is on promoting
growth through trade, sometimes seeking improved environmental quality, while
maintaining employment, welfare and aging infrastructure. The emphasis is on
use of blue water for irrigation and industrial or domestic consumption. In this
phase, countries are trending to institutional mechanisms and governance from
infrastructure investment to manage water use.
Water, energy and food-related challenges are different depending on a
country’s stage of development. This is especially true for the sectors on which
countries are most economically dependent. Economic resilience is dependent upon a
country’s focus on the particular challenge associated with its development trajectory,
and the climate- and water-related issues associated with them. For instance, developing countries may be more dependent upon green water because of their emphasis
on agricultural productivity. In the face of a changing climate, the consideration
of appropriate infrastructure to ensure productivity amid uncertainty is necessary.
However, for more developed economies, infrastructure may already be established,
in which case their focus may be on trade-offs among sectors, and managing water
resources through improved governance and management frameworks.
Water-related investment choices over the next decade will have a substantial
influence on the long-term development trajectory of African countries. The
water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, manifested through trade-offs for water use among
agriculture, energy, cities and manufacturing, will increasingly come to the fore. The
concept of thresholds for development is especially important on a continent where
the potential for further growth exists, but needs to be balanced alongside ecosystem
health and sustainability. Currently, across Africa, there are developing, emerging and
more developed economies that have reached different thresholds. The continent still
requires significant development, to create a healthy social foundation. However, this
can conflict with ecological ceilings, which are already beyond sustainability in some
cases. Economic development decisions will fundamentally impact upon our ability
to create a healthy social foundation without overstressing ecological conditions.
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these countries particularly vulnerable to climate change; they are also generally
in need of investment in infrastructure.
• Emerging economies that are growing rapidly are generally in the process of a
shift from cultivation or extraction towards manufacturing. Although rural poverty
challenges remain, these countries are generally undergoing increased urbanization with economic and social development leading to improved human welfare
indices. Development tends to focus on ensuring sustained investment, diversification and adding value to economic activity and trade, while providing livelihoods
in rural and peri-urban areas. Water and air quality may be rising on the political
agenda. In this phase, blue water consumption begins to grow in industrial and
urban areas; in some cases, this dynamic may increase the challenge of balancing
infrastructure and institutional governance and management issues.
• Developed economies have generally shifted to a consumption-based, servicedominated economy supported by trade and by specialization in manufacturing
and commodities, with high rates of urbanization. The focus here is on promoting
growth through trade, sometimes seeking improved environmental quality, while
maintaining employment, welfare and aging infrastructure. The emphasis is on
use of blue water for irrigation and industrial or domestic consumption. In this
phase, countries are trending to institutional mechanisms and governance from
infrastructure investment to manage water use.
Water, energy and food-related challenges are different depending on a
country’s stage of development. This is especially true for the sectors on which
countries are most economically dependent. Economic resilience is dependent upon a
country’s focus on the particular challenge associated with its development trajectory,
and the climate- and water-related issues associated with them. For instance, developing countries may be more dependent upon green water because of their emphasis
on agricultural productivity. In the face of a changing climate, the consideration
of appropriate infrastructure to ensure productivity amid uncertainty is necessary.
However, for more developed economies, infrastructure may already be established,
in which case their focus may be on trade-offs among sectors, and managing water
resources through improved governance and management frameworks.
Water-related investment choices over the next decade will have a substantial
influence on the long-term development trajectory of African countries. The
water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, manifested through trade-offs for water use among
agriculture, energy, cities and manufacturing, will increasingly come to the fore. The
concept of thresholds for development is especially important on a continent where
the potential for further growth exists, but needs to be balanced alongside ecosystem
health and sustainability. Currently, across Africa, there are developing, emerging and
more developed economies that have reached different thresholds. The continent still
requires significant development, to create a healthy social foundation. However, this
can conflict with ecological ceilings, which are already beyond sustainability in some
cases. Economic development decisions will fundamentally impact upon our ability
to create a healthy social foundation without overstressing ecological conditions.