There is about 50 million hectares of irrigable land available within the SADC region, of which
only 3.4 million hectares (7%) is currently irrigated (SADC 2011);
The hydropower potential of the SADC region is some 150 GW, of which only 12 GW is
installed (SADC 2011); and
Of SADC’s population of 260 million people, 39% has no access to an adequate, safe drinking
water supply, while 61% has no access to adequate sanitation services (SADC 2011).
The above statistics are summarised in Table 1 and Figure 1, with comparisons with world averages
and the developed world status. It is clear that the SADC region needs to invest in water sector
infrastructure in order to develop economically and provide better livelihoods and quality of life for
its citizens.
Table 1: Comparison of SADC Water Sector Status with Other World Benchmarks/Indicators
SECTOR
Water
abstraction
SADC STATUS
3
170 m /capita/year
Surface water 14% of ARWR stored
storage
WORLD AVERAGES
3
DEVELOPED WORLD STATUS
570 m /capita/year
1 330 m3/capita/year
25% of ARWR stored
70% to 90% of ARWR stored
Irrigated land
7% irrigated of available irrigable 20% irrigated of available irrigable 70% irrigated of available
land
land
irrigable land
Water supply
61% of the SADC population has 87% of the world population 100% of the population has
access to an adequate and safe (2006) has access to an adequate access to an adequate and safe
water supply
and safe water supply
water supply
Sanitation
39% of the SADC population has 62% of the world population 100% of the population has
access to an adequate sanitation (2006) has access to an adequate access to an adequate
service
sanitation service
sanitation service
Figure 1: Comparison of SADC Water Sector Status with other World benchmarks/indicators
Using world benchmarks/indicators for socio‐economic development and best practice standards,
gaps in the current water infrastructure development and service provision sectors were identified,
as well as institutional reforms necessary for more efficient infrastructure preparation for financing,
development and management. Table 2 and Figure 2 give the details in respect of the current
infrastructure development and service provision gaps in the SADC water sector.
The water sector part of the RIDMP contains 34 projects prioritised for implementation during the
period 2013 to 2021. This is Phase 1 of the implementation of the water sector RIDMP. The 34
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