Groundwater Resources Assessment for Sustainable Development in South Sudan

Manuela Lasagna, Sabrina Maria Rita Bonetto, Laura Debernardi, Domenico Antonio De Luca, Carlo Semita and Chiara Caselle
Additional contact information
Manuela Lasagna: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy
Sabrina Maria Rita Bonetto: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy
Laura Debernardi: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy
Domenico Antonio De Luca: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy
Carlo Semita: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy
Chiara Caselle: Earth Sciences Department, Turin University, 10125 Torino, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-21

Abstract: The economic activities of South Sudan (East-Central Africa) are predominantly agricultural. However, food insecurity due to low agricultural production, connected with weather conditions and lack of water infrastructure and knowledge, is a huge problem. This study reports the results of a qualitative and quantitative investigation of underground and surface water in the area of Gumbo (east of Juba town) that aims to assure sustainable water management, reducing diseases and mortality and guaranteeing access to irrigation and drinking water. The results of the study demonstrate the peculiarity of surface and groundwater and the critical aspects to take into account for the water use, particularly due to the exceeding of limits suggested by the WHO and national regulation. The outcomes provide a contribution to the scientific overview on lithostratigraphic, hydrochemical and hydrogeological setting of a less-studied area, characterized by sociopolitical instability and water scarcity. This represents a first step for the improvement of water knowledge and management, for sustainable economic development and for social progress in this African region.

Keywords: water resources; sustainable management; local development; water for food security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/14/5580/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/14/5580/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:14:p:5580-:d:383100

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().