African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

Box 4.1: Water Availability and Services in EgyptWith a population of 70 million and a cultivable/habitable area of only 40,000 km2 (4% of its territory), Egypt isone the most densely populated countries in the world. Increasing the inhabited area to 25% of the territory putsa heavy strain on the available water resources. For its water resources, Egypt is extremely dependent on the RiverNile. Fossil groundwater is available only in parts of the desert. As a rough global indicator of water sufficiency ifthe annual amount of water available per capita is less than 1000 m3 /cap/yr, water scarcity occurs. In Egypt thiscritical value was reached by 1997. Water availability now stands at 950 m3/capita and with an expected populationgrowth to 83 million in 2017, this will decrease to 720 m3/capita, which indicates a relatively high level ofscarcity.Agriculture is the main activity of a large portion of the Egyptian population. The agricultural sector consumes about85% of the total available water resources. Irrigated agriculture accounts for 95% of net water use. Agriculturerepresents 17% of GDP and 40% of the labour force. Present cropping intensity of 1.93 harvest/year may dropto 1.5 in 2017. Efficiency of water use at the field level can be improved, but only up to a limit, as water is neededfor leaching of salts. Irrigation is highly efficient on basin scale through intensive reuse of drainage water, which leadsto a deteriorating water quality downstream.FRESHWATER RESOURCES IN AFRICAPotable water reaches about 97% of the population, although for 25% the supply may be only for a few hours oreven per week. Only 70% of the urban and 10% of the rural population is served by sewerage and sanitation. Thepopulation growth and small habitable area leads not only to a concentration of population in large cities, but alsoto a strong urbanization of the rural areas. The declining role of agriculture is compensated for by an increasing roleof industry. Urbanization and industrialization pose a real threat to the quality of surface and groundwater.The deterioration of water quality is becoming a main water management issue: it is a health hazard and it reducesthe availability of freshwater downstream. The environmental and ecological water demand is severely threatenedby the decrease in available water and the deterioration of water quality. The expansion of urban areas andagricultural land encroach on fragile habitats. Also, the development of new, but marginal lands in a vulnerableenvironment requires careful integrated planning. It may lead to environmental land degradation as is witnessed inthe closed basins.Table 4.6: Renewable Water Resources in CameroonNature of resourcesValueTotal internal renewable water resources (km 3 /year) 271.0Total external renewable water resources (km 3 /year) 12.5Total renewable water resources (km 3 /year) 283.5Dependency ratio (%) 4.4Source: AWDR National Report59