Tanzania Should Embrace Technology to Solve Water Crisis

Tanzania's Dar es Salaam and other parts of the country face severe water shortages brought on by drought. The water shortage that major cities are facing is derived from a combination of factors including escalated demand for water due to rapid urbanization and the impact of climate change, writes Janeth Malleo, a trade economist, researcher, and lecturer at the Centre for Foreign Relations. 

Tanzania is renowned for its abundant sources of freshwater - including river basins, lakes, and natural wetlands. Fresh water is a renewable resource but there is ongoing depletion of fresh water globally and Tanzania is not an exception - with a growing population of 61.7 million people. This indicates an increase in demand for domestic use, as well as for expanding economic activities such as agriculture, mining, livestock keeping, and manufacturing, among others. 

With production reaching its maximum limitations, the only way Tanzania can increase supply to meet the increasing demand is either through advancement in technology or innovation of new resources, Malleo opines.