Blog post 9: Africa does not have a water crisis

Today I stumbled across a TEDTalk with an interesting take on water in Africa that I wanted to share. 

TED Talk by Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò who suggests Africa does not have a water crisis but instead has a knowledge crisis that stands between it and a future of prosperity. Source

In this podcast Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò builds on the idea, mentioned in my third post, that Africa does not have insufficient water but rather this water is uneven or currently inaccessible. However, he goes on to frame the water crisis as a knowledge crisis. Some interesting points he raises that link to other posts in this blog include:

  • Africa's has knowledge crisis regarding the type, location, access to and redistribution of water which prevents effective utilisation of its abundant water resources (not a lack of water). Links to posts 3 & 6.
  • For 500 years (beginning with slave trade) Africa has been exporting brains and therefore breaking knowledge transmission chains on the continent which negatively impact African knowledge production. Links to importance of history as mentioned in posts 4,5,7.
  • Foreign players are investing in knowledge about how to utilise Libya's aquifers to meet European water demands. Links to water grabbing in post 8.
Overall, I found this a refreshing and optimistic take on the water crisis in Africa that challenges cliches of a dry, primal and helpless Africa (Wainana 2005). Whilst it brings an alternative, yet still fundamentally political, perspective to water in Africa it also shines a light on a possible path forward for improved water access and development across the continent. 



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