Lack of sufficient water because of declining rainfall and prolonged drought has caused community-based conflicts over food, lack of water for crop production, human and livestock consumptions.
Stories from local farmers, herdsmen, fruit-gatherers, industrialists, policy-makers and scientists clearly point to the fact that—climate change, water and food are three life-threatening or life-saving elements—inextricably linked. For instance, any drop in rainfall because of climate change affects water and as well as food supply. This phenomenon becomes worse in most countries of Eastern Africa and Greater Horn of Africa where agriculture is predominantly rain-fed.
Therefore, GWP Eastern Africa considers drafting and adopting climate adaptation mechanisms as part of solutions towards building water secure and food secure communities in the Greater Horn and Eastern Africa region.
So far, decision-makers from the 8 countries where GWP Eastern Africa operates are steadily realizing the existing relationship between climate change adaptation, water security, food security and energy security.
Thus, there is a continuing move towards the right direction evidenced by increased national ownership and engaged efforts and means to meet present urgent (food, water, energy) needs without compromising the needs of the next generations.
However, we note that sustainable water and food security will not be addressed by climate adaptation mechanisms and increased levels in awareness alone, but a multitude of collective efforts—right from policy-makers, planners, end-users and multi-sectoral interventions.