Mitigation of the Water Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Construction of Delocalized Water Collection and Retention Systems

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a three-year research project aimed at addressing the issue of water shortage and retention/collection in drought-affected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project consisted in the design, construction, and the upgrade of existing barrages near Kita, the regional capital of Kayes in Mali. The effort was led by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University in partnership with the Onlus Gente d’Africa (who handled the on-the-ground logistics), the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the École Supérieure d’Ingénierie, d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme of Bamako, Mali. The practical realization of the project was made possible by Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti Ltd., a water utility supplying drinking water in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) that provided the financing as well as the operational contribution of AES Architettura Emergenza Sviluppo, a nonprofit association operating in the depressed areas of the world. The completion of the research project resulted in the replenishment of reservoirs and renewed presence of water in the subsoil of the surrounding areas. Several economic activities such as fishing and rice cultivation have spawned from the availability of water. The monitoring of these results is still ongoing; however, it is already possible to assess some critical issues highlighted, especially with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic in the research areas.

COVID-19 and Water Variables: Review and Scientometric Analysis

“…Even so, considering that world and indus- Unfortunately, scientific research on groundwater resources emphasizes the diminishing quantity and quality of aquifers [84,85], such as in Nicaragua, for example, especially during the dry season [86]. So, water resources are affected by drought [87,88], rainfall or a lack of it, high temperatures, and increased evaporation, but also by human life and anthropogenic activities [89]. Industry wastewater has the biggest negative contribution to the quality of renewable water resources, followed by agriculture, land use, and commercial and domestic sewage production.…”

Water, Resources, and Resilience: Insights from Diverse Environmental Studies

“…Our motivation for compiling this scientific work arises from the urgent need to address water-related concerns that impact global sustainability [20][21][22]. The growing water crisis, exacerbated by factors such as climate change, population growth, and pollution, has compelled us to gather insights from various environmental studies [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. We aim to disseminate knowledge that can drive positive change and foster innovative solutions for the responsible and sustainable management of our water resources [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42].…”