Food Insecurity & Hydroclimate in Greater Horn of Africa: Potential for Agriculture Amidst Extremes

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of Greater Horn of Africa's food insecurity and hydroclimate using state-of-the-art data and models. It highlights the region's potential for sustainable water management, but challenges such as obsolete Nile treaties, poor governance, and climate extremes persist. The book calls for increased investment in agriculture and diversification of livelihoods to address food insecurity and manage the impacts of natural hazards and armed conflicts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 425 pages
Publication date: 27 January 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book is a valuable resource for users in the fields of food security, agriculture, water management, and environmental sectors. It offers the first comprehensive analysis of Greater Horn of Africa (GHA)s food insecurity and hydroclimate, utilizing state-of-the-art data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its Follow-on (GRACE-FO) satellites, as well as centennial precipitation, hydrological models, and reanalysis products. The author argues that GHA possesses abundant freshwater resources, including Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater body in the world, and the Ethiopian Highlands, which are considered the greatest continental water towers. If these resources are managed sustainably, they have the potential to support GHAs irrigated agriculture and pastoralism.

However, several challenges hinder the realization of this potential. Firstly, outdated Nile treaties hinder the utilization of Lake Victoria (White Nile) and the Ethiopian Highland (Blue Nile). Additionally, GHA faces governance issues and a reliance on donor assistance, which can contribute to inefficient resource management. In recent years, GHA has been grappling with the triple threats of desert locust infestation, climate variability/change impacts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, climate extremes influence its limited water resources, leading to perennial food insecurity. Coupled with frequent regional and local conflicts, high population growth rates, low crop yields, invasion of migratory pests, contagious human and livestock diseases, and poverty, the lives of over 310 million inhabitants in GHA become increasingly unbearable.

Alarming is the fact that drought-like humanitarian crises are increasing in GHA despite recent progress in monitoring and prediction efforts. Despite these efforts, there remain challenges stemming from uncertainty in predictions, as well as the inflexibility and limited buffering capacity of current systems.

To address these challenges, the author suggests several solutions. Firstly, it is important to unlock the obsolete Nile treaties and promote equitable water distribution among GHA countries. Additionally, improving governance and promoting sustainable development practices can help alleviate poverty and improve resource management. Strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration can also help mitigate the impacts of climate extremes and promote resilience.

Furthermore, investing in technology and infrastructure can improve the monitoring and prediction of drought-like crises, enabling timely interventions and reducing the impact of humanitarian disasters. In conclusion, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of GHAs food insecurity and hydroclimate, highlighting the need for sustainable resource management and addressing the challenges facing the region. By implementing these solutions, GHA can strive towards achieving food security, improving livelihoods, and promoting sustainable development.

Weight: 682g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030910044
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022