Africa’s once-celebrated dams, long seen as engines of progress and key drivers of irrigation, are now facing a severe crisis that threatens the food security and livelihoods of millions.
According to experts at the International Water Research Institute (IWRI) of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), the decline is driven by aging infrastructure, severe siltation, and the growing impacts of climate change.
Assistant Professors at IWRI, El Mahdi El Khalki and Nabil El Mocayd, noted that while Africa possesses some of the world’s most fertile lands, agricultural productivity is being undermined by poor water management and the deteriorating condition of existing dams.
They warned that unpredictable weather patterns, marked by prolonged droughts and extreme floods, are hampering dam performance in countries such as Nigeria and Morocco.
“These challenges, caused by spatiotemporal climate variability and climate change, have cascading impacts on agriculture, livelihoods, and energy production,” they said in an emailed statement.
In Nigeria, the researchers explained, shifts in solar radiation and rainfall patterns have reduced the operational capacity of hydropower facilities such as the Jebba Dam, complicating water management for farming.
Morocco, they added, has endured seven consecutive years of drought, shrinking water storage levels, disrupting irrigation schedules, and interrupting the drinking water supply to cities.
They further warned that widespread siltation, fuelled by deforestation and vegetation loss on mountain slopes, is accelerating erosion and drastically reducing the lifespan of dams. In addition, they highlighted gaps in data collection and monitoring of dam performance and water usage, stressing that these deficiencies are taking a heavy toll on food production across the continent.
While countries like Nigeria and Morocco have relatively advanced dam networks, the experts argued that resource management remains a critical challenge in the face of climate variability. They urged policymakers to recognise that “global food security cannot be achieved without unlocking the full potential of African agriculture.”
They outlined three priorities for achieving this goal: adapting to climate change, managing rapid urbanisation, and accelerating the adoption of technology.
To tackle siltation, the experts recommended large-scale reforestation and innovative watershed slope management.
They also called for farm-level innovations, including decentralised water storage and rainwater harvesting, which they have successfully implemented at UM6P’s experimental farm in Benguerir.
“At UM6P, our mission is centred on one guiding principle: valuing every single drop of water,” they stated. “At the core of this challenge lies water, the essential resource that must be managed more efficiently than ever.”
