Integrated SASSCAL research to assess and secure current and future water resources in Southern Africa

Climate change will affect current water resources and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Considering ongoing changes in land management and population growth as well as projected climate scenarios, the overall challenge in the southern African region is to secure water at sufficient quality and quantity for both the stability of ecosystems, with their functions, and services and for human well-being (potable water, irrigation water, and water for industrial use). Thus, improved understanding of the linkages between hydrological (including hydrogeological) components of ecosystems and society is needed as a precondition to develop sustainable management strategies for integrated water resources management in this data scarce region. With initial funding through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany, 88 research projects of the SASSCAL Initiative (Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management; www.sasscal.org) focus on providing information and services allowing for a better understanding and assessment of the impact of climate and land management changes in five thematic areas: climate, water, agriculture, forestry and biodiversity.