Rainwater harvesting for improved food security and environmental conservation; Experiences from Malawi

The scarcity of water in different parts of the world has over the years forced people to find alternative sources of water. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is one such technology that has proven to be more viable to complement conventional methods of water supply. Agriculture remains the main source of livelihood in semi-arid areas of Africa and will continue to dominate for the foreseeable future. However, land degradation and climate change have negatively impacted water resources and this is has led to reduced agricultural productivity leading to food insecurity in a number countries including Malawi. Rainwater harvesting technologies are required in these areas to impart stability in crop production during sub-normal years. The techniques help to maximize soil-water availability to crops and hence optimize crop yield per unit of available soil water.