GroFutures: Groundwater Futures in Sub-Saharan Africa
Lead Research Organisation:
British Geological Survey
Department Name: Groundwater
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
GroFutures will benefit: (1) poor water users (women and men, rural and urban) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through increased knowledge and evidence of sustainable groundwater use to alleviate poverty through improved resource management and enhanced health and livelihoods; (2) water planners and policy makers in SSA through the development of new evidence and methodologies to enable equitable and sustainable management of groundwater resources; and (3) research communities in SSA and beyond through creating improved new tools, methods and datasets for interdisciplinary analysis of groundwater resources and their management, as well as scholarly information exchanges and networking activities that will strengthen a growing Community of Practice involving Anglophone and Francophone scientists.
The primary pathway by which GroFutures will generate impacts for poor people is through the development of new evidence and tools which water managers in the focal countries and across SSA can use to: (1) target groundwater development where it can most effectively reduce poverty; and (2) ensure equitable and sustainable development of groundwater resources.
GroFutures will contribute to unlocking the poverty-reducing potential of groundwater in SSA by:
1) Establishing a unique Network of African Groundwater Observatories (NAGO) that will generate new evidence on groundwater availability and demand, including insights into how these are likely to change over the next two to three decades giving planners at basin, national and regional levels the information they need to plan for an equitable and sustainable allocation of groundwater for multiple users and uses;
2) Identifying locations in which groundwater development (for domestic supply or irrigation) is a technically appropriate and politically feasible strategy to reduce poverty;
3) Identifying locations at risk of future depletion due to likely demand/supply imbalances enabling appropriate management responses to be developed on a preventive rather than curative basis;
4) Providing specific information on variations in groundwater availability and demand which can carry high costs for economies and for the livelihoods of poor people and make planning and management difficult;
5) Strengthening the capacity of water planners, researchers and their institutions through the co-production of knowledge and collaborative, demand-led research and stakeholder engagement;
6) Identifying governance arrangements for pro-poor, sustainable groundwater management, in collaboration with water managers and other key stakeholders; and
7) Disseminating new evidence and knowledge on the positive outcomes of groundwater development for health and livelihoods enabling poverty alleviation.
The GroFutures team will engage staff of national, regional and local water bureaux in Ethiopia, Niger and Tanzania, as well as basin authorities (Great Ruaha, Niger) as project partners from the start in the research planning, data analysis and tool/metric development and piloting. They will also embed new scientific knowledge, models and methods for managing groundwater for poverty alleviation within water ministries to inform decision-making and initiate discussions about equity in groundwater development among relevant stakeholders.
Production and dissemination of high quality, open-source publications - in the form of academic outputs in high impact journals, as well as targeted policy briefs and other bespoke communications materials suited to different audiences - will be a central aim of the project. These will involve all members of the team and will be published in English, as well as French, Amharic, Hausa and Kiswahili, where appropriate. All materials and information will be accessible via a dedicated, bilingual website (grofutures.org) that is linked to institutional websites of the project team (AAU, BGS, IDS-STEPS, IGRAC, IRD, IWMI, SUA, UAM, UCL, UoS) and the UPGro Knowledge Broker.
The primary pathway by which GroFutures will generate impacts for poor people is through the development of new evidence and tools which water managers in the focal countries and across SSA can use to: (1) target groundwater development where it can most effectively reduce poverty; and (2) ensure equitable and sustainable development of groundwater resources.
GroFutures will contribute to unlocking the poverty-reducing potential of groundwater in SSA by:
1) Establishing a unique Network of African Groundwater Observatories (NAGO) that will generate new evidence on groundwater availability and demand, including insights into how these are likely to change over the next two to three decades giving planners at basin, national and regional levels the information they need to plan for an equitable and sustainable allocation of groundwater for multiple users and uses;
2) Identifying locations in which groundwater development (for domestic supply or irrigation) is a technically appropriate and politically feasible strategy to reduce poverty;
3) Identifying locations at risk of future depletion due to likely demand/supply imbalances enabling appropriate management responses to be developed on a preventive rather than curative basis;
4) Providing specific information on variations in groundwater availability and demand which can carry high costs for economies and for the livelihoods of poor people and make planning and management difficult;
5) Strengthening the capacity of water planners, researchers and their institutions through the co-production of knowledge and collaborative, demand-led research and stakeholder engagement;
6) Identifying governance arrangements for pro-poor, sustainable groundwater management, in collaboration with water managers and other key stakeholders; and
7) Disseminating new evidence and knowledge on the positive outcomes of groundwater development for health and livelihoods enabling poverty alleviation.
The GroFutures team will engage staff of national, regional and local water bureaux in Ethiopia, Niger and Tanzania, as well as basin authorities (Great Ruaha, Niger) as project partners from the start in the research planning, data analysis and tool/metric development and piloting. They will also embed new scientific knowledge, models and methods for managing groundwater for poverty alleviation within water ministries to inform decision-making and initiate discussions about equity in groundwater development among relevant stakeholders.
Production and dissemination of high quality, open-source publications - in the form of academic outputs in high impact journals, as well as targeted policy briefs and other bespoke communications materials suited to different audiences - will be a central aim of the project. These will involve all members of the team and will be published in English, as well as French, Amharic, Hausa and Kiswahili, where appropriate. All materials and information will be accessible via a dedicated, bilingual website (grofutures.org) that is linked to institutional websites of the project team (AAU, BGS, IDS-STEPS, IGRAC, IRD, IWMI, SUA, UAM, UCL, UoS) and the UPGro Knowledge Broker.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Alan MacDonald (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Bonsor H
(2018)
Seasonal and Decadal Groundwater Changes in African Sedimentary Aquifers Estimated Using GRACE Products and LSMs
in Remote Sensing
Chan W
(2020)
Uncertainty assessment in river flow projections for Ethiopia's Upper Awash Basin using multiple GCMs and hydrological models
in Hydrological Sciences Journal
Cuthbert MO
(2020)
Author Correction: Observed controls on resilience of groundwater to climate variability in sub-Saharan Africa.
in Nature
Cuthbert MO
(2019)
Observed controls on resilience of groundwater to climate variability in sub-Saharan Africa.
in Nature
Issoufou Ousmane B
(2023)
Groundwater quality and its implications for domestic and agricultural water supplies in a semi-arid river basin of Niger
in Environmental Earth Sciences
Kebede S
(2021)
Regional-scale interactions between groundwater and surface water under changing aridity: evidence from the River Awash Basin, Ethiopia
in Hydrological Sciences Journal
Kolusu S
(2019)
The El Niño event of 2015-2016: climate anomalies and their impact on groundwater resources in East and Southern Africa
in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
MacDonald A
(2021)
Mapping groundwater recharge in Africa from ground observations and implications for water security
in Environmental Research Letters
Maurice L
(2018)
Characteristics of high-intensity groundwater abstractions from weathered crystalline bedrock aquifers in East Africa
in Hydrogeology Journal
Description | BGS's work on GroFutures has concentrated on how groundwater is replenished and whether it can be sustainably abstracted for agricultural or urban use. Key finding emerging form the research are: (1) there is no evidence of large scale groundwater depletion across sub Sharan Africa at the regional scale, groundwater resources are linked to changes in global climate. (2) Recharge events can occur once or twice a decade in semi arid areas, but are usually annual in less arid areas, and most populated areas received regular groundwater recharge. Detailed research linking groundwater recharge to recent climate events and anthropogenic activity is still ongoing Ethiopia and Niger, and publicaiton has been delayed by COVID-19 0 but should be released later in 2021 or 2022. |
Exploitation Route | The information on groundwater recharge is important for global modellers and can be used to validate continental models. Water managers can use the information to help plan sustainable groundwater development. The research is contributing to the development of TerraFirma a major NERC MCNC project |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
Description | Research from this project on the falling groundwater levels in Addis has led to discussions with Industrial and public groundwater suppliers in Addis about sustainability of supplies. This is an ongoing relationship, and has led to a World Bank tender on groundwater sustainability in Addis Ababa. Work has now extended to looking at groundwater depletion in Lagos for the State Lagos Water company and the Mimistry of water. Interest in using groundwater for irrigation in Africa has increased significantly since this research, with a new World Bank report calling for widespread investment in developing groundwater across Africa to increase the resilience of agriculture |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | Briefing to FCDO on implications of World Water Day 2022 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
URL | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/532312/ |
Description | Citation in UN Water Report 2022 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The document has submited recommendation to the UN Water Congress on howe to implment strategies for using groundwater sustainable to help acheive the SDGs |
URL | https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380721 |
Description | CLARE |
Amount | $2,000,000 (CAD) |
Organisation | University College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 04/2026 |
Description | 5th Mike Edmunds Memorial Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This event was organised to discuss groundwater recharge in Africa, and involved a key speaker from Senegal and 3 other African scientists to debate on groundwater issues. The main purpose was to promote a lively debate on groundwater issues with key African scientists who had been invovled in the NERC UPGRO programme. Many people joined from around the world asking excellent questions, and leading to email discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.water.ox.ac.uk/events/5th-mike-edmunds-memorial-lecture/ |
Description | A tale of two groundwaters: video for FCDO diplomats and partners |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A short video introducing groundwater to FCDO staff for World water day an ddiscussing the differences between groundwater issues in Africa and South Asia |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9LhPls7lMU |
Description | AMCOW Pan-African Groundwater Program (APAGroP) meeting, Kampala, Uganda |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussed hindrances to sustainable groundwater management and development in Africa and looked at the short, medium and long-term actions for handling technical issues |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Briefing to FCDO staff on 5 important facts about hydrology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Briefing on 5 important facts about hydrology given to FCDO staff as part of a water learning journey arranged by the chief water advisor. Around 40 people attended the event live and the talk has since been put online. Much discussion afterwards with key FCDO staff on groundwater around the world |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NooXLRoU5Xo |
Description | Interview with German Radio Station on groundwater recharge in Africa |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview with German Radio station on Science magazine programme to discuss the sustainability of the Libyan Man Made River project and put in context of groundwater use across Africa. Since broadcast in German I am not aware of the direct impact of the braodcast. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://ondemand-mp3.dradio.de/file/dradio/2020/02/18/wasser_unterm_wuestensand_was_wurde_aus_dem_dl... |
Description | TEDx talk on Africna groundwater entitled "Is Africa Running out of Water?" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An invited TEDx talk in Edinburgh. The talk was given live to approximately 150 members of the general public and postgraduate students and also filmed and put on the TED youtube channel where it has been seen by 1200 people. Links to the talk were circulated through the Rural Water Supply Network to African NGOs and government stakeholders . I received questions from the general public at the time and many emails since enquiring about African Groundwater - many expressing surprise at the volume of groundwater available within Africa |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO0iu6gb_wE |
Description | UPGRO Film |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We contributed to the development of a ten minute Film on Groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa This film explains groundwater and presents key research findings from the UPGro programme inclusing information from this grant.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLJxw6hkjYM&t=4s. The film explains many of the key research findings and has also been shon at several major international events, including the IWRA and Stolkhom Water Week |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLJxw6hkjYM&t=4s |
Description | WET WET WET - world water day event 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A public lecture at Heriot Watt University to mark World Water Day, attended by >100 people working in the water sector (including government) and the general public - much discussion afterwards about the role of groundwater in mitigating the effects of climate change. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | World Bank flagship on Groundwater |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Formal working groiup to evaluate World Bank flagship document on groundwater to be published in 2023. As part of an expert panel of 12, we reviewed the document and took part in a series of workshops. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |