A community borehole in the Plateaux Region of Togo
Photo by Moctar Dembélé
Scientists, researchers and policy experts from across Africa have come together to develop a ‘resilience roadmap’ to manage vital groundwater resources amidst accelerating climate change.
The Strategic Programme on Groundwater for Water Security and Resilience in Africa was formally launched in April 2026 by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and the G4DR project (funded by GEF).
“Groundwater is Africa’s hidden lifeline,”
said Mr Nelson Gomonda, Director of Programmes at AMCOW.
“Through this Strategic Programme we are delivering a true resilience roadmap for the Continent that establishes a clear path to transform how we value and protect groundwater in a rapidly changing climate.”
The ultimate adaptation
While a recent UN report warns of a global ‘water bankruptcy’ driven by over-extracted aquifers, Africa faces a unique paradox. The Continent possesses vast subterranean water reserves, yet they remain chronically underutilized, underfunded, and under-mapped. As climate change accelerates and extreme droughts become more frequent, communities’ reliance on these hidden reserves will intensify.
Without immediate intervention, this increased dependency risks undermining the very resilience that groundwater currently provides. AMCOW and G4DR’s new Strategic Programme aims to shift the continent from reactive groundwater management to proactive, data-driven governance.
“When you consider that shared aquifers cover roughly 40% of the African continent – comprising over 100 transboundary systems – the significance of this resource is undeniable,”
said Eng Jonathan Kampata, an AMCOW technical advisor involved in implementing the transboundary water programme.
“In times of severe drought, groundwater is the ultimate climate adaptation sustaining our rural communities; however, the scientific knowledge required to sustainably exploit it is currently too limited. We urgently need to build our capacity to map, understand, and manage these shared resources to avoid future conflicts.”
Left: A community borehole in Togo Plateux; Right: A groundwater facility in Plateau Adja in Benin.
Moctar Dembélé
Pillars for progress
The Strategic Programme is designed to do just that through four core pillars:
Strengthening policy frameworks: Upgrading legal and institutional governance to ensure groundwater is managed sustainably and integrated into national climate adaptation plans.
Building human capacity: Training a new generation of water professionals and empowering local communities to actively monitor and protect their own resources.
Unlocking innovative financing: Developing structured funding mechanisms, such as the Groundwater Access Facility (GAFA), to de-risk projects and attract critical public and private investment.
Deploying data and tools: Creating interactive, open-access resources like the Africa Groundwater Atlas and high-resolution maps to drive evidence-based decision-making across borders.
A groundswell of collaboration
The Strategic Programme was developed through months of consultations and workshops across five sub-regions, bringing together member states, regional economic communities and over 50 technical institutions. It is also heavily integrated with the wider Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, ensuring groundwater is no longer sidelined in continental economic planning.
Mr Gomonda emphasized that the strength of the strategy lies in its deeply collaborative origins.
“This is not a top-down document; it is a blueprint built on the consensus of the continent,”
he noted.
“For too long, our reporting frameworks have not adequately captured the reality of our groundwater. This Strategic Programme allows us to mobilize the necessary investments, ensuring we can safely tap into this strategic reserve without depleting it.”
Reframing the groundwater debate
The Strategic Programme is a key component of the Groundwater for aDvancing Resilience in Africa (G4DR) project, funded by The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and involving core partners including AMCOW.
Dr Jonathan Lautze, G4DR’s Chief Technical Advisor, comments:
“The overarching goal of G4DR is to transform how Africa views and utilizes its hidden water assets. This Strategic Programme provides the crucial policy and investment framework needed to ensure that as we expand groundwater use to build climate resilience, we do so sustainably, equitably, and with robust scientific data.”
For more information, please contact Andrew Czyzewski: a.czyzewski@scriptoria.co.uk
The G4DR team inspects boreholes in Malawi; The G4DR team inspect a borehole in Mozambique; Borehole drilling in Chinganji, Malawi
Claudio Pacacheque; Steven Kumwenda; WaterAid
About the G4DR Project
The Groundwater for aDvancing Resilience in Africa (G4DR) project is a four-year (2024–2028) transboundary initiative enhancing regional water security through sustainable groundwater development. Operating across Pan-African, national, and local scales, it features three pilot sites: the Mono River Basin (Benin/Togo), the Shire Aquifer System (Malawi/Mozambique), and the Upper Nile Water Management Zone (Uganda). Its objective is to advance climate resilience, food security, and community wellbeing by coordinating the management and protection of Africa's largest underutilized water resource.
G4DR safeguards the livelihoods of rural and borderland communities by bridging high-level policy with on-the-ground realities. By co-designing transboundary monitoring networks, creating data-driven risk frameworks, and empowering women and youth, the project ensures shared aquifers are equitably managed and integrated into climate adaptation strategies.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), G4DR is implemented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and executed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Key partners include the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and the SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI).
For more information, please contact Chief Technical Advisor Jonathan Lautze (j.lautze@cgiar.org)