BLOG 2 - Context and Focus
So first, some well needed context.
·
Africa is currently the world’s most water
scarce continent (see figure 1) – with Sub-Saharan Africa ranking highest in
being the most water-stressed countries on earth (UN-Water/no pagination).
·
It has amongst the lowest proportions of national
populations with access to safe water, as well as lowest per capita rates of
food production
·
Riverflow in southern Africa is the most
variable in the entire world – with the highest co-efficient of variation in
river discharge (McMahon et al., 2007).
o
This is subject to huge dynamic shifts, given
that a 10% drop in precipitation can reduce river discharge by 17 to 50% (de
Wit and Stankiewicz, 2006).
Beyond this, there are a number of
other factors posing more struggles for Africa. This includes climate change,
which is set to increase temperature there more than any other place on earth
(de Wit and Stankiewicz, 2006) – in turn troubling the issue of rainfall
shortage. Though Africa contribute the least via anthropogenic climate change
(ibid), they will unfairly face the worst of its impacts. Nyong (2005) and
Zinyowera et al (1997) note that droughts and floods will be both more harsh
and frequent.
Furthermore, an increasing
population, will put pressure on resources and management of water resources.
It is within this context that I endeavour to explore the concepts of: Hydro-colonialism,
hydro-hegemony and hydro-legacy
Woah. What a hydro-caption that was. Granted, it’s a bit excessive and confusing
so I’ll put it more simply here… For this week (and likely for the weeks ahead)
I wish to explore the tremendous concept of colonialism. This of course will
include impact of the colonial era – including the decisions that were made,
the treaties that were ratified. However, I also hope to explore the discourses
that circulated, had and still have today on different nations and how they
view their rights. This blog entry aims to review and relate these to current
debates.
Hydro-colonialism:
A study by Njoh and Akiwama (2011)
has actually hinted that colonialism has been a benefit to African water availability, stating that those counties
that experienced colonialism the longest now have better infrastructure and
models for water governance. Whatever merits this argument may have, I have no
doubt that there are many negative by-products left from the colonial periods
that continue to burden African nations. Namely, issues surrounding unequal
water allocations after the creation of new colonial states, such as problems
relating to the 1959 colonial deal dividing the water rights to the Nile
between Sudan and Egypt, leaving other countries in the basin fully excluded
(Grain, 2012). Then there is also the impact of land grab – which seeks to
colonise and exploit land - which I hope to touch on in later blogs.
However, whilst hydro-colonialism
is indeed exercised through practice –there also exists hegemonic legacies –
described below.
Hydro-hegemony:
Rowan’s (2004) argument that: ‘the discourse of partnership is used to put
a glossy veneer on a relationship that is less about partnership and more about
a hegemonic partner using its financial power to dictate terms to aid
recipients’ is reflective of what hydro-hegemony is about – power, deceit
and pursuing monopoly. In his comprehensive analysis of the relationship
between the EU and EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific group, but specifically
Lesotho and Mozambique, he criticised the ‘development partnership’ arguing
that the contrasting theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau each present a
different idea that has lend towards a ‘post-partnership paradigm’.
Who are most likely to strive
towards hydro-hegemony? You might have guessed it, but through this blog series
I am going to criticise the TNCs, and explore the negative impacts this
hydro-hegemony has had.
Hydro-legacy:
This I coin (if no one else has
claimed it) an idea of ‘hydro-legacy’ to refer to the extent to which colonial
practices and discourses continue to pervade current policy and practice.
Essentially, it refers to hydro-post-colonialism: the legacy of colonialism,
can surely then be seen as a hydro-post-colonial ideology; which describes the
discourses which emerge as a result of the colonial activity. As such, this
blog will also endeavour to explore these representations through popular and
mainstream charities.
A popularised quote that is
espoused by a number of budding activists is that ‘all that is necessary for
evil to triumph is that good men do nothing’ (Edmund Burke). Indeed, it is also
important to note that when good men offer a disservice through activity they
viewe as good, evil will also triumph. And on that bleak note… .Goodbye!
References:
de Wit and
Stankiewicz, 2006. Science 311, 1971-1921
McMahon et al., 2007.
J. Hydrol. Vol. 347, pp. 260-27
Njoh, A and Akiwumi, F (2011) The impact of colonization on
access to improved water in African cities, Cities, 28, 5,
452-460.
Allan et al., (REF) https://www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-Land-and-Water-Grabs-in-Africa-Foreign-direct-investment-and/Allan-Keulertz-Sojamo-Warner/p/book/9781857436693
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