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WATER POLITICS

Via Future Directions International, a report on Mozambique’s water crisis:

South-western Mozambique is on the brink of a water crisis. Due to the El Niño phenomenon, Mozambique has recently experienced higher than average temperatures and decreased levels of rainfall. The possibility of a water crisis, as already seen in parts of South Africa, could put increasing pressures on domestic supplies of water for both drinking and agriculture. It could also raise concerns about the transboundary watershed, shared between Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa, and the allocation of water supplies to neighbouring countries.

For Mozambique and its surrounding countries, successful implementation of water restrictions will be vital in the short-term, if they are to overcome the present water shortage. Taking a long-term view, Mozambique has begun constructing two dams, the Moamba Major dam and a dam at Corumana, projected to be completed in 2019.

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The southern region of Mozambique is currently on the brink of a water crisis, similar to the recent crisis in the South African city of Cape Town. The country has experienced high temperatures and decreased levels of rainfall, leading authorities to introduce tighter water restrictions to ensure that there is an adequate supply of drinking water as the dry season begins.

According to Mozambique’s National Meteorological Institute, the primary cause of this crisis is the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean. It can also be inferred that the rapid population growth in the capital, Maputo, and failure to expand water infrastructure to meet the increased demand that accompanied that growth, has also played a role in the crisis. It has also been stated that the country’s rainy season has seen reasonably good rainfall in all regions except the south-west.

The south-west region includes Maputo, the neighbouring city of Matola and the Pequenos Libombos dam. The region also includes a watershed that is shared with South Africa and Swaziland. The Incomati and Maputo River Basins watershed agreement was developed between the three countries during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. It aims to ensure the protection and sustainable utilisation of water between the three countries and to minimise any potential conflict that could arise as a result of tensions over water. With the supply of water diminishing, this could put a strain on the watershed agreement and lead to increased levels of tension between the three countries.

The Pequenos Libombos dam provides water for the south-west of Mozambique via treatment and pumping stations on the Umbeluzi River, which supplies drinking water to Maputo and Matola. During the current rainy season, however, the water levels of the dam have only risen from 19 to 25 per cent capacity, which is a cause for concern. According to Teresa Mauaie, the Administrator of Boane District in southern Mozambique, ‘if it were to rain regularly; the Pequenos Libombos dam would be at approximately 50 per cent capacity.’ Although the current levels have improved from a year ago, when the dam fell to 13 per cent, it is still not sufficient to satisfy both agricultural needs and drinking water requirements.

Water from the Umbeluzi River is also used for the irrigated agricultural area in the Boane District, a major supplier of agricultural produce to Maputo and Matola. Prior to the crisis and the subsequent increase in water restrictions, farmers had planned to produce 40,000 hectares of crops this year to supply food to south-western Mozambique. Due to the current circumstances, however, it is possible that the planned cropping regime will not be achieved.

 Reduced water availability and agricultural production, as well as rapid population growth across the country, has led to concern about food security for Maputo and Matola, Mozambique’s two largest cities. Additionally, the United Nations World Food Programme has warned that crops will be curtailed even further, due to an outbreak of the invasive crop-eating Fall Army Worm. The Fall Army Worm is present in every sub-Saharan country, further reducing local crop production and thus increasing the pressure on the domestic food supply.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has mentioned that maize, the most important crop in the region, is the most affected by the outbreak. This is compromising food security for families in the region, which not only puts increased pressure on the Mozambican food supply, but also that of the wider region. Without adequate crop production from Boane, the south-west region of Mozambique will be increasingly dependent on imports from South Africa and Swaziland, two countries that are also experiencing similar water and agricultural challenges.

Mozambique is in a dire situation. If water restrictions during the coming dry season are not implemented successfully, parts of the country could be in a similar situation to that of South Africa. If this were to occur, food and water supplies would decrease, putting pressure on neighbouring countries and further straining the region’s already troubled agricultural industry.

It is not all bad news, however, as Mozambique is currently working on two dam projects that are scheduled to be completed in 2019. They will, of course, require adequate rainfall to fill, which calls into question how soon it will overcome its water supply crisis.