1. Environmental Issues in Africa
Water: pollution & distribution
Soil and Deforestation
Desertification

2. Final Statement
The environment is directly related to the economic success of a country. Water affects all aspects of a country’s economy. It is needed for agriculture (Crops), trade success (Coastline) , industry (Operate Machinery and create products), and the workforce (Clean drinking water).

3. Water Issues
Pollution- due to pesticides, fertilizers, human waste, mining, and manufacturing.
Half of the hospital patients in Africa are due to unclean drinking water.
This impacts the economy by reducing the workforce.
With population increase, clean drinking water decreases.

4. Other Water Facts
Only 47% of people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to safe drinking water.
Industry is not the primary cause of water pollution in Africa.
-Natural problems- snails, worms, insect larvae, & other parasites.
-These organisms cause waterborne diseases which reduce life-expectancy, lessen the quality of life, and decrease economic growth.

5. What Does Polluted Water Do?
Harms the fishing industry
Ruins the land- There is an average of two oil spills a day in Nigeria.
While a country benefits from income generated by industry, it suffers due to pollution created by the industry.

6. Water- A Shrinking Supply
Few places in rural Africa have plumbing or water purification.
Women and children walk daily to the nearest stream to collect water….. One bucket at a time.

7. Facts
Climate change, deforestation, and population growth have contributed to a water imbalance.
Agriculture used to get 88% of the water supply. Since many are moving to the cities, water is being diverted there.
Irrigation systems are in need of repair
Lake Chad has shrunk 95% in the last 40 years.

8. Facts There is a tug of war between urban populations and farmers.
Since the bulk of trade in Africa is with countries outside of the continent, Landlocked countries are the poorest.

9. Soil
Deforestation
Nearly 90% of coastal rainforests in West Africa have been cut down since the 1900’s.
In the 1990’s, 13 million acres of African forest logged.
This causes erosion and loss of nutrients.
Erosion has harmed 75% of Africa’s soil

10. The Sahara- Getting Larger
Between the Sahara Desert and the rainforests is the Sahel.
This is a grassland area that has been affected due to poor farming practices, land clearing, overgrazing livestock, and drought.

11. Sahara and Sahel

12. Cause and Effect of Unequal Water Distribution
Issue
Cause
Effect
Not enough water for irrigation
Problems with trade
Problems with Industry
Not enough clean drinking water

13. Cause and Effect of Unequal Water Distribution
Issue
Cause
Effect
Not enough water for irrigation
Cities consume it
Farming suffers; less food to trade or eat
Problems with trade
Countries with no coastline trade less
Economy suffers; less growth
Problems with Industry
Industries need water
Industries do not grow if they don’t have water
Not enough clean drinking water
People and animals get sick
Hurts economy