Water for sustainable livelihoods

This year’s World Water Day (WWD) is on the theme “Water and Jobs.”

In Ghana, the national celebration is focused on “Improved Safe Water Access for Sustainable Livelihoods” to highlight the two-way relationship between water and the decent work agenda in the quest for sustainable development.

The National Planning Committee of the World Water Day, under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has lined up some activities to commemorate the March 22 event.

The Committee believes “the growing problems associated with water resources, like drought, flooding and pollution can be addressed by implementing water-efficient and sustainable projects”. Such investments, it noted, can also create thousands of jobs from plumbers to landscapers, engineers to irrigation specialists.

Read more of the statement...

In view of its importance to every aspect of life, there is the need to ensure sustainability of water supply. This refers to the sufficient availability of and access to water into the foreseeable future. Sustainable water systems should provide adequate water quantity and appropriate water quality for a given need, without compromising the future ability to provide this capacity and quality.

However, ensuring sustainable supply of access to water is an increasingly critical challenge arising from the fact that globally, water as a resource is changing due to population growth and migration, land use pressures and energy choices, and the changing climate. These factors are causing changes in water quantity, availability, and quality. The change in water resources is evidenced by its scarcity that afflicts poor people the most.

In Ghana, the current situation where parts of the country experiences acute water scarcity, requires strategic investment in water-efficiency and sustainable water management. This will provide great prospects for partnerships between businesses, water experts, community based organisations and policy makers to design projects and policies on a win-win basis for jobs and water improvements.Making these investments will strategically catalyze economic growth, develop local industries, and create more jobs for the people.

Consequently, any agenda to attract direct investment including particularly from the private sector to create sustainable water jobs, should also aim at meeting the demands of existing businesses and communities for high quality water and security of supply.

Additionally, any job creation and service provision agenda should target the rehabilitation of water reservoirs and irrigation schemes as these can enhance food security and create work opportunities for many, especially women in rural areas.