Rainwater harvesting in arid and semi-arid lands of Africa: challenges and opportunities

Aim of the study: Arid and semi-arid lands often face a shortage of freshwater due to uncontrolled runoff. In arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, rainwater harvesting is a promising solution that can be implemented for multiple purposes such as agriculture, recreation, flood control, and availability of drinking water. The present review aims to highlight the benefits, opportunities and challenges associated with rainwater harvesting in arid and semi-arid lands of Africa. Material and methods: Analysis of scientific and professional contributions reveals that, although water scarcity remains a major constraint to life and economic development, arid and semi-arid regions of Africa are slowly adopting effective rainwater harvesting measures. Results and conclusions: Based on the findings on benefits and challenges of water harvesting in arid and semi-arid lands of Africa, the present study recommends that policymakers should invest in mass education to adopt rainwater harvesting as complement to traditional water sources, and engage experts to comprehensively design infrastructure for rainwater harvesting using necessary techniques that will optimise collection and storage. To make progress, further research is needed to identify potential zones for runoff harvesting, and rainwater harvesting should be integrated with the much-needed green revolution and climate change adaptations for land reclamation.