Water is the commonest stuff on earth, only 2.53 per cent of it is fresh, that is potable while the rest 97.47 is salt. This 2.53 percent is plenty to address the demand of the whole population of the globe but we have destroyed it with the passage of time. One big question never strikes to most of the people in the Globe, why there is water scarcity now and the obvious answers are; Population growth, pollution, climate change, contamination, wastage, misuse and so on.
Today we are saying about Kenya, Ethiopia, tomorrow we will say about other countries and then after few years this will be a major problem of the whole world. Now water has become precious. In one hand, the developed countries are fighting for oil and killing innocent people and on the other hand, in the third world countries, particularly in African countries people are dieing for water. People are walking miles of distance to get water and this is also happening in some countries of Asia in summer seasons.

We all will agree to a simple activity of our own life. Most of us always try to manage our own resources (particularly financial) and in each month we try to make a small budget on our expenditure and manage our day to day affairs. But when it comes to the natural recourses we misuse and destroy these like anything as such these do not belong to us. After wasting everything we feel the scarcity and then we start to understand its value. I do not say this has happened in Africa in regard to the water resources, but I say they can try to meet the need a demand of the whole continent with the available resources by managing these and creating more opportunities.

Africa is such a region where you can find plenty of rain and water in some parts and in other parts there is ample scarcity of water. In India there is a very good proverb "Too much water destroys the lives and too less water destroys the lives"- It gives life and it takes life. This means if we get too much water means, too much rain, flood then survival will be a question. Similarly if we will get too less water then the survival will be a question, as now it is happening in those African countries. People are coming out, agitating and riots have become common phenomenon in Kenya and Ethiopia. This is happening only because of the "haves and have nots". Few parts getting surplus water and few parts are not getting anything. The Nile River runs out huge volume of water and effective, sensible and rational management of that can solve a lot of problem.

It's pretty general to every one that water has severe impact on the availability of food, food practice and lack of water leads to several diseases. These things are yet to happen severely in these countries. I must say the present situation of these African countries is an eye opener for the whole world. We know that because of our own fault our next generations are going to pay very heavy prices. So I think we must think on managing the water resources all over the globe and the real challenge is to find out effective ways to protect, conserve and use the water and how to create more resources.

Learn more about this author, Birupakshya Dixit.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about How is the struggle for water, such as in Ethiopia and Kenya, shaping conflicts in this century??
We want to hear your view. Write now!