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Rethinking the economics of rural water in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Rob Hope
  • Patrick Thomson
  • Johanna Koehler
  • Tim Foster

Abstract

Rural Africa lags behind global progress to provide safe drinking water to everyone. Decades of effort and billions of dollars of investment have yielded modest gains, with high but avoidable health and economic costs borne by over 300m people lacking basic water access. We explore why rural water is different for communities, schools, and healthcare facilities across characteristics of scale, institutions, demand, and finance. The findings conclude with policy recommendations to (i) network rural services at scale, (ii) unlock rural payments by creating value, and (iii) design and test performance-based funding models at national and regional scales, with an ambition to eliminate the need for future, sustainable development goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Rob Hope & Patrick Thomson & Johanna Koehler & Tim Foster, 2020. "Rethinking the economics of rural water in Africa," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 36(1), pages 171-190.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxford:v:36:y:2020:i:1:p:171-190.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/oxrep/grz036
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Smith, Daniel W. & Atwii Ongom, Stephen & Davis, Jennifer, 2023. "Does professionalizing maintenance unlock demand for more reliable water supply? Experimental evidence from rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    2. Jayakrishnan Ajayakumar & Andrew J. Curtis & Vanessa Rouzier & Jean William Pape & Sandra Bempah & Meer Taifur Alam & Md. Mahbubul Alam & Mohammed H. Rashid & Afsar Ali & John Glenn Morris, 2022. "Spatial Video and EpiExplorer: A Field Strategy to Contextualize Enteric Disease Risk in Slum Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Wonder Mafuta & Jethro Zuwarimwe & Marizvikuru Mwale, 2021. "WASH Financial and Social Investment Dynamics in a Conflict-Arid District of Jariban in Somalia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Karki, Dipesh, 2023. "Factors affecting nonpayment of water service by rural households in Nepal," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    5. Barbier, Edward B., 2022. "The policy challenges of green rural transformation for Asia-Pacific emerging and developing economies in a post-COVID world," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 689-704.

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