Economics of water: digging for data in Somalia - towards understanding water as a limiting or enabling factor for socioeconomic growth in Somalia
Barely anywhere in the world does water have more value as an economic asset and for social development than in the Horn of Africa. According to most definitions, Somalia is classified as a water scarce country. However, analysis of water availability and expected use in 2030 at a regional scale shows that, except for the Benadir region (host to Somalia’s capital—Mogadishu), long-term renewable groundwater and surface runoff resources will be able to meet water demands (human, livestock, and agriculture) without significantly affecting environmental flows. This study, titled ‘Economics of Water: Digging for Data—Towards Understanding Water as a Limiting or Enabling Factor for Socioeconomic Growth in Somalia’, shows that Somalia has considerable untapped potential for water resources management and water services’ development.
