African Lakes: Human security assets in need of protection

By Fidel Amakye Owusu

Africa is home to numerous lakes spread across the continent, many of which are naturally formed, along with some significant artificial lakes.

While these lakes are distributed throughout Africa, most are found in the eastern part of the continent, particularly in the Rift Valley region, commonly known as the “Great Lakes region.”

Key natural lakes in the Rift Valley include Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, Malawi, Turkana, Rukwa, and Albert. Outside this region, notable lakes include Chad, Tana, Saint Lucia, and Kosi. Among the artificial lakes on the continent are Lakes Volta, Kariba, Nasser, and Cahora Bassa.

For millennia, many of these lakes, similar to Africa’s rivers, have supported human populations, acting as essential resources for the socio-economic development of surrounding areas.

These lakes have historically provided fish, ensuring food security and supporting agriculture by supplying fertile soil and water for crops in adjacent lands. They have also enabled transportation, connecting communities along their banks.

In countries with these lakes, significant population centers often thrive nearby. For instance, Lake Victoria is home to settlements like Kampala, Entebbe, Bukoba, Kisumu, and Musoma.

However, in recent years, these vital “human security assets” have encountered numerous challenges due to various developments across the continent. Climate change has led to the shrinking of some lakes, particularly in semi-arid regions.

Lake Chad, situated in West Africa’s Sahel region, has seen a dramatic reduction in size over the years.

Potential solutions

Moreover, population growth around these lakes has resulted in overfishing and pollution. Over exploitation has severely diminished fish stocks, while agricultural chemicals have contaminated water bodies.

Human activities, such as deforestation along lake shores, have further disrupted ecosystems and ecological balance. These challenges threaten the livelihoods of millions who rely on these lakes, both directly and indirectly.

Potential solutions include restocking fish populations, reforesting around lake basins, implementing regulated fishing practices, and promoting organic farming near the lakes to sustain the human security provided by African lakes.

To address the excessive evaporation of some lakes, modern strategies like using floating rubber spheres have been adopted by certain nations to help manage water levels. Additionally, constructing dams across rivers that flow from these lakes could enhance irrigation efforts.

Ultimately, African lakes are crucial assets that require concerted protection efforts to ensure their continued role in supporting human security and development.

Fidel Amakye Owusu is an International Relations and Security Analyst. He is an Associate at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa and has previously hosted an International Affairs program with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He is passionate about Diplomacy and realizing Africa’s global potential and how the continent should be viewed as part of the global collective.