Water Sustainability

The African Union’s 2026 theme, “Year of Water Sustainability: Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” highlights water as a foundational resource for Africa’s development, with direct implications for livestock systems, food security, and rural livelihoods.  

Nexus

The adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2026 provides a strategic framework for advancing inclusive, climate-resilient water security across the continent. By promoting integrated water resources management within the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus, the Vision strengthens the sustainability of livestock and fisheries value chains, supports climate-resilient production systems, and enhances ecosystem health. Reliable access to water enables improved feed and fodder production, strengthens animal health services, supports processing and hygiene standards, and underpins the competitiveness of livestock- and animal-resource-based industries. This integrated approach also contributes to economic growth, job creation, and industrialisation, particularly within livestock-dependent rural economies.

The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) is leading the implementation of the AU 2026 theme in alignment with Assembly Decisions, recognising that water sustainability is central to transforming Africa’s agri-food systems, including livestock, fisheries, and pastoral economies. Through coordinated policy leadership, investment mobilisation, and cross-sectoral collaboration, ARBE is advancing strategies that strengthen water governance, support climate adaptation, and enhance the resilience and productivity of animal resources. These efforts contribute directly to achieving Agenda 2063 aspirations, ensuring that water security serves as a catalyst for sustainable livestock development, improved livelihoods, and inclusive economic transformation across Africa.

Read More: https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20260214/au-theme-year-2026-call-action-safe-water-and-sanitation

cowefish

Sustainable water availability is essential for livestock production, pastoral mobility, animal health, and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where water scarcity is a primary constraint. Limited access to reliable water sources reduces livestock productivity, increases disease risk, weakens resilience to climate shocks, and heightens competition over natural resources, thereby exacerbating vulnerability among pastoral and agro-pastoral communities.