Africa launches $14bn water fund

A safe water supply and efficient irrigation is needed

A $14.7bn funding campaign to finance water projects in Africa has been launched to tackle shortages there.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) said the move aims to break the cycle of water shortages, famines and reliance on outside help.

The plan was announced at a conference in Tunis.

Demand for clean water is expected to grow faster than in any other country, leaving 500 million people without access by 2025, research suggests.

"Utilisation of water resources is abysmally low, with only 3% of the total renewable water resources exploited for water supply, agriculture and industrial use each year in Africa," AfDB President Omar Kabbaj told the conference.

Farmers struggle

At the conference of 400 delegates from rich countries, international institutions and African ministers, the AfDB set out its plans for raising the $14.7bn for African water projects.

Mr Kabbaj said the AfDB would mobilise around $360m a year to 2015 - with the added funding coming from bilateral donors, multilateral funds, African governments and local communities.

"As a result of (the low use of water resources), nearly 50% or over 300 million mostly poor people ... do not have access to safe water supply," he added.

Meanwhile, farmers who are currently struggling to grow crops in arid countries are likely to face shortages amid increasing competition from other sectors of the economy.

Only 6% of the total cultivated land in Africa is irrigated and with other sectors battling for a greater share of water supplies meagre crop yields are expected to diminish further unless improved conservation and management of water resources is undertaken.

"Irrigation can contribute significantly to the required 3.3% increase in food production which is needed to achieve food security by 2025," Mr Kabbaj said.