The Monitor (Uganda) -AAGM
Salome Alweny
Kampala city can support water needs of a population of between 3.5milion and 5.5milion with60 litres a day, if rainwater harvesting is adopted.Uganda's rainwater harvesting potential is estimated at over 9,900 cubic metres per personcompared to the annual renewable water availability of 1,500cubic meters.This was revealed in a report that was compiled and released by the United NationsEnvironment Programme and World Agro forestry Center , at the climate convention talks inNairobi on November 13.The report showed that until recently, the importance of water harvesting as a protectionagainst extreme weather events has been almost invisible in water planning with countriesrelying almost exclusively on rivers and underground supplies.Scientists at the summit said Africa has warmed by 0.7 degrees during the 20th century, withhigh temperature records occurring towards the end of the century.The scientists forecast that by 2100, mean surface temperatures in Africa could increase by 2-6 degrees centigrade."Without adaptive efforts, a 2.5 degrees centigrade in temperature is likely to result in a 0.5 to2 percent decrease in gross domestic product, with higher losses in most developingcountries" reads in part of the report. As climate change takes its toll in Africa and Uganda inparticular, it is believed that many communities are likely to be water stressed due to massiveevaporation of water from the water sources.The report, however, suggests that communities and countries facing or likely to face watershortages as a result of climate change could boost supplies by collecting and storing rain fall.Governments and donors are encouraged to invest more in the rain water harvesting that theydescribe as low cost, simple to deploy and maintain, and to transform the lives of households,communities and countries Africa-wide.The time has come to realise the great potential for greatly enhancing drinking water suppliesand small agricultural production by harvesting more of the rain when and where it falls," theDirector General of World Agro forestry Center Denis Garrity said.Rainwater harvesting can assist in meeting wider aspirations, including the MillenniumDevelopment Goals .
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