Pooling knowledge to improve climate decisions in central and southern Africa

Sunday, January 12, 2020 - 11:20

Agriculture is the bedrock of the economy in a country like Malawi in southern Africa.
It is one of the most important sectors driving the country’s gross domestic product. At a household level, home grown food is also central to many families’ ability to ward off hunger and malnutrition. A healthy agricultural sector needs ample water. The country’s main energy source is also water dependent, with most of Malawi’s electricity coming from hydro-power in Lake Malawi. At the same time, as the country’s population grows, so does the pressure on its water resources.These competing needs are what scientists like associate professor Katharine Vincent call the water-food-energy ‘nexus’. Rising global temperatures and changing rainfall patterns in this region of Africa will increase the uncertainty in the area of water management.
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