Energy, Water & Desertification

	Building a sustainable energy base Energy is fundamental to poverty reduction and economic transformation of Africa. Its production and use affects the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the continent’s development. The availability and use of energy will to large extent determine how and whether African countries increase agricultural productivity, provide safe water, achieve higher levels of industrialization, and efficiently use information and communications technologies to get integrated into the global economy.
	Securing and sustaining water African leaders have identified water scarcity and related insecurity as one of the sources of the continent’s underdevelopment and increasing economic decline. Thus they have placed issues associated with the development, supply and management of water high on the agenda of the NEPAD.
	Combating drought and desertification Drought and desertification are major environmental and socio-economic problems with negative effects on the livelihood of populations in many African countries. Two thirds of the continent is desert or drylands, and almost three quarters of agricultural land is degraded to some degree. It is estimated that more than 500 million hectares of the continent’s land is affected by soil erosion and degradation. Drought and desertification greatly affect Africa’s agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.