Sub-Saharan Africa is at risk of irreversible food and water security crisis within the next generation. The lives of 635 million rural African livelihoods are directly dependent on the continent’s natural capital. Climate change and global resource scarcity only intensify this risk and raise the stakes for finding new solutions, fast.
The continent has experienced one of the fastest rate of deforestation and land conversion in history and 80% of its soil are depleted. As prosperity spreads and the population multiplies, rising consumption has created a vicious cycle of degradation on the natural resource base. Poorly planned agriculture, settlements, infrastructure development, and resource extraction have driven widespread degradation of forests, rivers, and grasslands.
Meanwhile, rural communities are being left behind, widening the gap between rich and poor and leaving rural populations, who are disproportionately vulnerable, at high risk to consequences of climate change and resource scarcity. The lack of economic activity in rural areas, in turn fuels the cycle of ecosystem degradation as poor, marginalized Africans are pushed into environmentally damaging income earning activities such as poaching and charcoal production.
In the coming decades, major continental and global forces are poised to cause widespread damage to the continent's remaining natural ecosystems. 1.1 billion people will live in Africa by 2050 and the continent has the fastest rising middle class and urbanization rates in the world. How this population consumes food, energy and water will shape everyone’s future- communities, nature and business. Over the next ten years growing global population is expected to require 35% more food, 40% more water, and 50% more energy.
The continent has experienced one of the fastest rate of deforestation and land conversion in history and 80% of its soil are depleted. As prosperity spreads and the population multiplies, rising consumption has created a vicious cycle of degradation on the natural resource base. Poorly planned agriculture, settlements, infrastructure development, and resource extraction have driven widespread degradation of forests, rivers, and grasslands.
Meanwhile, rural communities are being left behind, widening the gap between rich and poor and leaving rural populations, who are disproportionately vulnerable, at high risk to consequences of climate change and resource scarcity. The lack of economic activity in rural areas, in turn fuels the cycle of ecosystem degradation as poor, marginalized Africans are pushed into environmentally damaging income earning activities such as poaching and charcoal production.
In the coming decades, major continental and global forces are poised to cause widespread damage to the continent's remaining natural ecosystems. 1.1 billion people will live in Africa by 2050 and the continent has the fastest rising middle class and urbanization rates in the world. How this population consumes food, energy and water will shape everyone’s future- communities, nature and business. Over the next ten years growing global population is expected to require 35% more food, 40% more water, and 50% more energy.