The APAGroP Vision

Through improved groundwater policy and practice, groundwater is used sustainably and equitably, increasing water and food security and resilience, and supporting improved lives and livelihoods in Africa.

The APAGroP Goals

Under the stewardship of AMCOW, APAGroP aims to achieve the following goals:

1. Increased awareness and political commitment to groundwater, with better representation of groundwater in water policies and major water-focused programs at various levels across the continent

2. Continental cooperation, knowledge sharing and collective action between Member States and partners to establish a pan-African community of best practice on groundwater

3. Efficient linkages between the research community, practitioners and policymakers to promote evidence-based decision making on groundwater-related issues

4. Strengthened institutional and individual capacity to improve groundwater use, management and governance in Africa

Why groundwater?

Demand for water has been increasing in Africa and will continue to do so over the coming decades due to population growth (especially in urban areas), socio-economic development, and large-scale agriculture. Climate change is causing rising temperatures and increased rainfall variability in Africa, which will impact the availability of water resources. In many areas, surface water resources, which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and pollution, are declining and/or becoming increasingly unpredictable. 

Groundwater is widely available at the point of use, more resilient to climate variability and change, and less vulnerable to contamination than surface water. It is already widely used in Africa, with about 70% of the population relying on groundwater for their everyday use and has the potential to support further socio-economic growth on the continent. However, groundwater resources are often poorly understood and managed, and in some areas, particularly urban centers and intensively cultivated areas, are already overexploited or contaminated. Informed management of the resource through an improved knowledge base and human and institutional capacity and enhanced governance are needed to unlock sustainable development of groundwater in Africa for the benefit of socio-economic development, water and food security, and climate change resilience.

Background

APAGroP was formally launched and operationalized through two AMCOW-led multi-stakeholder workshops – in Nairobi, Kenya (October 2019) and Kampala, Uganda (February 2020). It is the culmination of a decade’s worth of AMCOW-led groundwater initiatives.

Timeline:

2008:1st Africa Water Week Tunis, Tunisia-AMCOW’s Roadmap for an African Groundwater Initiative

2016: 6th Africa Water Week Dar es Salaam, Tanzania-10th AMCOW General Assembly frame the way forward for a Pan-African groundwater initiative

2017: AMCOW Executive Committee agree on establishment of a Pan-African groundwater program managed by the AMCOW Secretariat

2018: 7th Africa Water Week Libreville, Gabon-Multi-stakeholder pronouncement in support of an AMCOW-led groundwater program managed by a Groundwater Desk within the AMCOW Secretariat

2019 - 2020: APAGroP formally launched through two AMCOW-led multi-stakeholder workshops in Nairobi and Kampala-Groundwater Desk Officer assumes position within the AMCOW Secretariat

APAGroP Thematic areas

Policy, Governance & Institutional Systems Strengthening

• Develop/strengthen national groundwater policy frameworks and institutions
• Increase investment in groundwater at Pan-African and national level

Groundwater Management and Resource Assessment

• Develop/strengthen groundwater management at local, national and regional level
• Increase uptake of appropriate tools and technologies for resource assessment, development and management

Awareness and Capacity Development

• Raise awareness and induce governance of graundwater among high level policy makers
• Increase capacity in groundwater resource development and management at national and sub national levels

Knowledge Sharing and Coordination (Cross-cutting)

• Increase knowledge generationa nd sharing among members states and partners
• Promote cooperation between members states and partners

Resources and Knowledge Products

AMCOW’s Knowledge Hub

The African Union Assembly, during its Eleventh Ordinary Session in 2008, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt committed to enhancing information and knowledge management to strengthen AMCOW’s effort towards Africa’s water and sanitation sector development. Following the commitment, the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) Executive Committee, in 2016, sought to establish a knowledge-sharing platform to improve data quality at country and regional levels’ as well as   informationand knowledge management and exchange across the continent. AMCOW started setting up its Knowledge Management & Information Sharing unit in 2019, and by 2020 it created the Muhktari Shehu Shagari Resource Centre (MSSRC) comprising a functional water and sanitation library at its Secretariat, and a web-based open access platform described as the knowledge hub of hubs. The resource centre named after AMCOW’s first President Barr Muhktari Shehu Shagari was launched in November 2020 and links to other portals, collects, and shares Africa’s water and sanitation information and knowledge. It also provides an interactive learning forum for experts, scientists, and researchers to get agile, dialogue, and exchange knowledge.

Africa Groundwater Atlas

The Africa Groundwater Atlas provides an overview of hydrogeology, groundwater use and management at national scale in Africa. It also contains supporting information on groundwater in Africa such as groundwater development, groundwater data, research, educational resources, and case studies.

Global Groundwater Information System and Africa Groundwater Portal

This is an interactive web-based portal to groundwater-related information and knowledge on topics such as transboundary aquifers, groundwater monitoring, and managed aquifer recharge.

Groundwater Solutions Initiative for Policy and Practice (GRIPP)

GRIPP is a global partnership for sustainable groundwater management. The site contains open-source joint knowledge products related to groundwater management, with focus on developing countries, a solution platform for groundwater-based natural infrastructure, and international news on groundwater, including on APAGroP. 

Rural Water Supply Network

A global network and online library of resources relevant to rural water supply, including training resources and guidelines for professional drilling, solar pumping, and groundwater management. 

Cap-Net and Africa Groundwater Network

Capacity development networks for sustainable water and groundwater management, including online courses and training manuals on various topics relevant to groundwater. 

Southern African Development Community Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI)

Online resources and information relevant to groundwater in the SADC region.

Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor Program (UPGro)

Outputs from a seven-year research programme focused on groundwater in Africa.

Partners

For APAGroP to realize its vision, collaboration and partnerships at all levels are critical. Partnerships have been and will continue to be sought from a cross section of stakeholders representing Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), river basin organizations, international and African research and capacity development institutions, programs, professional bodies, private sector, and non-governmental organizations.

Acknowledgements

Besides partners’ in-kind support, APAGroP is primarily and currently supported by Sida and UKRI/GCRF. 

Partners: 

• AMCOW

• African Union

• SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI)

• Regional Centre on Groundwater Education, Training and Research in Eastern Africa (RCGW)

• African Network of Basin Organisations (ANBO)

• Africa Groundwater Network (AGW-Net)

• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

• British Geological Survey (BGS)

• Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Germany (BGR)

• International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)

• UNESCO-IHP

• International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC)

• Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN)

• Ask for Water

• University of Cardiff

• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)

• United States Geological Survey (USGS)

• UN Capital Development Fund 

For more details contact Prof. Moshood Tijani (AMCOW Groundwater Desk Officer) [email protected]