Conflicting demands: providing water for African livestock

Animal production is one of the largest uses of agricultural water in the world. In many parts of Africa, livestock demands conflict with water for crops. Managing these competing demands is vital to protect this increasingly scarce resource and to minimise environmental damage.

Livestock use a great deal of water, both fordrinking and producing feed. Despite this, livestock water is often ignored inwater use management and planning.

Research in several African countries by BartridgePartners summarises the challenges of providing water for livestock. The researchersuggests that projects to provide water for livestock should include objectivesfor efficient production and environmental sustainability. This would requirelearning from past failures in livestock water projects.

Watersources vary across Africa. Some are sharedbetween animals and people, while others are exclusive to animals. Some arepermanent, others seasonal. Each different system has different challenges forsustainable water management, but there are several common issues, such asdisease risk and soil erosion.

Methodsfor watering livestock also vary. For example, the distance of water fromgrazing land is particularly important in dry areas. This determines the amountof time, energy and body water that livestock use whilst travelling to water. Watersources need to be reliable in times of shortage. The method of extractingwater from the ground is also critical; this determines how much human work isneeded before the animals get to drink, and can perhaps help to control thestocking rate.

Theresearch shows:

• Populationincreases have forced people to grow crops in areas previously used bypastoralists. Increased competition between crops and livestock is particularlyacute where irrigated agriculture has been introduced into grazing areas. Thishas often led to resource conflict, and also to human conflict.
• Inareas with higher rainfall and abundant water sources, secure land tenure hasbeen shown to increase the efficiency of water use.
• Inlower rainfall areas, providing new water sources has often led toenvironmental degradation and social conflict.
• FewAfrican governments have experience, expertise or interest in livestockproduction. This means that where crops and livestock compete, policies areoften biased against pastoralists.

Waterfor livestock is only one part of rural livelihood systems. Policies forlivestock water need to consider other uses as well, including crops andforestry. They also need to consider the broader issues of human and animalhealth, education and social security.

Theresearcher recommends:

• Inhigh density mixed farming areas, water facilities for livestock should beincorporated with those for people. This would result in small improvements toexisting water supplies.
• Inlower density pastoralist areas, the development of water sources should belimited in time and space to ensure that water supply does not exceed foddersupply. Environmental impact assessments should always be undertaken.
• Inboth cases, the cost of developing water supplies should be recovered fromwater users.