Africa's Wetlands and Floodplains
We've lost a majority of the wetlands in our world, largely as a consequence of human actions. Wetlands are known as areas that are saturated with water, if not completely flooded. There is sometimes seasonal flooding and sometimes permanent flooding (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 2019). Different forms of wetlands exist, such as swamps, floodplains, and rivers (Australian Government). In sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of wetlands are floodplains and freshwater marshes, and it is approximated that 4.7 to 6% of sub-Saharan Africa is wetlands. Wetlands provide many ecosystem benefits to people living in Africa and can have both positive and negative impacts on agriculture and livestock (Rebelo et al. 2010). Some of these ecosystem services include drinking water, fertile soils, grazing, aquaculture, and drought resilience (Australian Government).
Humans are a driving factor in global warming and also the degradation of our wetlands which provide many ecosystem benefits and services. Wetlands are especially important as drought severity increases with worsening climate change. Droughts are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and result in less rainfall, flood extent, and river flow. One major consequence of droughts on wetlands is a decrease in storage capacity. This means that less water will be available for crops and their growth (Rebelo et al. 2010).
In Africa, wetlands are being managed (sustainable wetland management) to maximize efficiency for agricultural and other uses. It is essential these wetlands are managed sustainably to ensure they are not degraded too much from farming over long periods of time. There is a lack of knowledge existing about sustainable wetland use, and this field must be further researched in the future (Rebelo et al. 2010). Wetlands are not only a water source, but also determine the success of crops due to nutrients provided and potential flooding. They play a pivotal role in certain countries in Africa. For example in parts of Malwai, a good amount of food comes from wetlands as well as some surplus crops which are sold for additional profit (Wood 2017).
If you are interested in becoming more involved with the preservation of wetlands, keep an eye out for World Wetlands Day which occurs on February 2 of every year. World Wetlands Day aims to raise worldwide awareness about the importance of wetlands and their vital ecosystem services. Action to preserve wetlands is essential to ensure the well-being of many communities and citizens around the world (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 2019). 2020's theme will be Wetlands and Biodiversity.
Due to the importance of wetlands and its many ecosystem services, it is essential that we preserve them. Wetlands can help assist communities during times of drought and are a key tool to minimize food scarcity (Rebelo et al. 2010). We have lost the majority of the world's wetlands, and therefore it is important to maintain and regrow the ones that are left.
Humans are a driving factor in global warming and also the degradation of our wetlands which provide many ecosystem benefits and services. Wetlands are especially important as drought severity increases with worsening climate change. Droughts are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and result in less rainfall, flood extent, and river flow. One major consequence of droughts on wetlands is a decrease in storage capacity. This means that less water will be available for crops and their growth (Rebelo et al. 2010).
In Africa, wetlands are being managed (sustainable wetland management) to maximize efficiency for agricultural and other uses. It is essential these wetlands are managed sustainably to ensure they are not degraded too much from farming over long periods of time. There is a lack of knowledge existing about sustainable wetland use, and this field must be further researched in the future (Rebelo et al. 2010). Wetlands are not only a water source, but also determine the success of crops due to nutrients provided and potential flooding. They play a pivotal role in certain countries in Africa. For example in parts of Malwai, a good amount of food comes from wetlands as well as some surplus crops which are sold for additional profit (Wood 2017).
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| Figure 1: Wetlands in Africa |
If you are interested in becoming more involved with the preservation of wetlands, keep an eye out for World Wetlands Day which occurs on February 2 of every year. World Wetlands Day aims to raise worldwide awareness about the importance of wetlands and their vital ecosystem services. Action to preserve wetlands is essential to ensure the well-being of many communities and citizens around the world (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 2019). 2020's theme will be Wetlands and Biodiversity.
Due to the importance of wetlands and its many ecosystem services, it is essential that we preserve them. Wetlands can help assist communities during times of drought and are a key tool to minimize food scarcity (Rebelo et al. 2010). We have lost the majority of the world's wetlands, and therefore it is important to maintain and regrow the ones that are left.
This post is very interesting but might have engaged more directly in the role of wetlands for food production in Africa - your chosen thematic area. There is some excellent early work by Bill Adams (Wasting the Rain) that is worth consulting to provide a starting point.
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing out this resource! In this post, I briefly discuss the benefits wetlands offer, such as agricultural assistance and being a water source, but should have delved further into food production. I am definitely interested in learning more about the use of wetlands for food production and will take a look at Bill Adams work.
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