Mitigation of the Water Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Construction of Delocalized Water Collection and Retention Systems

Adolfo F. L. Baratta, Laura Calcagnini, Abdoulaye Deyoko, Fabrizio Finucci, Antonio Magarò and Massimo Mariani
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Adolfo F. L. Baratta: Department of Architecture, Roma Tre University, 00153 Rome, Italy
Laura Calcagnini: Department of Architecture, Roma Tre University, 00153 Rome, Italy
Abdoulaye Deyoko: École Supérieure D’ingénierie, D’architecture et D’urbanisme, 3228 Bamako, Mali
Fabrizio Finucci: Department of Architecture, Roma Tre University, 00153 Rome, Italy
Antonio Magarò: Department of Architecture, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Massimo Mariani: Department of Architecture, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a three-year research project aimed at addressing the issue of water shortage and retention/collection in drought-affected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project consisted in the design, construction, and the upgrade of existing barrages near Kita, the regional capital of Kayes in Mali. The effort was led by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University in partnership with the Onlus Gente d’Africa (who handled the on-the-ground logistics), the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the École Supérieure d’Ingénierie, d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme of Bamako, Mali. The practical realization of the project was made possible by Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti Ltd., a water utility supplying drinking water in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) that provided the financing as well as the operational contribution of AES Architettura Emergenza Sviluppo, a nonprofit association operating in the depressed areas of the world. The completion of the research project resulted in the replenishment of reservoirs and renewed presence of water in the subsoil of the surrounding areas. Several economic activities such as fishing and rice cultivation have spawned from the availability of water. The monitoring of these results is still ongoing; however, it is already possible to assess some critical issues highlighted, especially with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic in the research areas.

Keywords: water crisis in Africa; water collection and retention systems; sand dam; migration; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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