Hydro-colonialism?

Hello again! And welcome back to my blog on Water and Politics in Africa.

For this weeks post I want to connect the past and the present by looking at the political occurance of something called ‘hydro-colonialism’. It is something that until researching I was completely unaware of, but since looking deeper into it has become extremely shocking to me.

Colonialism itself is deeply embedded in the history of Africa.  The 19^th and 20^th centuries saw the height of this, where African countries were subjected to European invasions and pillaging of resources. Colonial acts still connect to water availability in Africa today. A study by Njoh and Akiwama (2011) has actually hinted that colonialism has been a benefit to African water availability, stating that those counties that experienced colonialism the longest now have better infrastructure. Though this may true to a small extent, there are larger issues of colonialism in relation to water access that should not be pushed aside. Namely, issues surrounding unequal water allocations after the creation of new colonial states, such as problems relating to the 1959 colonial deal dividing the water rights to the Nile between Sudan and Egypt, leaving other countries in the basin fully excluded (Grain, 2012).

The acts and impacts of colonialism are not just something located in the past, however.

In fact, it can be said that there are still very much so features of colonialism or ‘neo-colonialism’ occurring on this very day, through acts of land grabbing. Grain, an NGO working to support small farmers globally has named this ‘hydro-colonialism’ due to the large quantities of water on such land being used.

A recently published document by LandMatrix reports on the extent and impact of land acquisitions that are occurring globally today. LandMatrix is based on its own database recording intended, concluded and failed land acquisitions since the year 2000. The data is mainly collected company annual reports, corporate presentations and media releases on stock exchanges. Although this data may not be fully reliable (i.e. they state that some contacts fail to incorporate specific locational data), I found it a good, clear place to start exploring the topic. Using this report then, my aim here is to highlight the key points in relation to Africa and try to determine to what extent land grabbing can count as a form of ‘hydro-colonialism’.

So, what is land grabbing? Oxfam (2016: no pagination) put it bluntly; ‘it's when governments, banks or private investors buy up huge plots of land to make equally huge profits.’

As seen in this image provided by Land-Matrix (2016), globally, Africa remains the most targeted area of land-acquisition. In fact, the document states they found 422 concluded agricultural deals, which involve a total area of 10million hectares. Looking closer at this patterning of land deals in Africa and something of interest arises – the land deals seem to follow water. The area along the River Nile is highlighted, similarly in Senegal along the Senegal River and Mali along the Niger. Already therefore, by the fact that water seems to play a large factor in the land acquired, there are hints towards it potentially being a form of hydro-colonialism.

This idea is further backed up when understanding what the land is used for, who uses it, and how it is gained. In relation to Africa, the report highlights that predominant use of land is for agriculture. In terms of who gains and uses this land, it is usually foreign countries and multinational companies. For example many Saudi Arabian companies have been acquiring land in African countries such as Ethiopia in order to produce food to ship home (Grain, 2012). Agriculture of course needs water. Through land acquisition in Africa therefore, these actors are able to grow food, produce energy, pursue touristic businesses etc. all through use of African water, and not their own nation's. Again, the term ‘hydro-colonialism’ seems very relevant.

The plots of land are also often not unused, but in fact occupied by smallholder farmers, for whom the land, and the water on it, serves as a key part of their livelihoods, and in fact accounts for over half of most country’s GDP and two thirds of the labour force in Africa (FAO, 2001). Yet, this land can and is taken away due to low levels of tenure security. ‘Such conditions create opportunities for investors to acquire quick access to large tracts of lands within legal systems that give little scope for local populations to defend their own rights to land’ the LandMatrix report (2016: 20) explains.

The impacts on these smallholder farmers are massive. As mentioned the livelihoods and food security of farmers working directly on the land is taken away. Yet, the report highlights how even ‘marginal’ land grabbed impacts on people, by reducing resources such as firewood and timber, or grazing areas for rural and indigenous people. There is rarely consultation with these people affected, and inequality levels in the areas are likely to increase.

Can land grabbing be seen as a form of ‘hydro-colonialism’ then? In short, I think yes. Although many argue that land grabbing is beneficial to those in areas taken through job opportunities. I believe there are clearly more negative impacts. With the high majority of land grabs relating to water, or impacting on the water provisions of locals, I believe that hydro-colonialism is a good way to describe much of the land grabbing occurring in Africa.

Dixon, J et al., (2001) Framework for analysing impacts of globalisation on smallholders (WWW) FAO (fao.org; 17/10/16)

Grain, (2012) Squeezing Africa Dry: Behind every land grab is a water grab, (WWW), Grain, (grain.org; 16/10/16).

Njoh, A and Akiwumi, F (2011) The impact of colonization on access to improved water in African cities, Cities, 28, 5, 452-460.

Nolte, K, Chamberlain, W, Giger, M (2016) International Land Deals for Agriculture. Fresh insights from the Land Matrix: Analytical Report II, Montpellier: Bern Open Publishing.

Oxfam (2016) Guide to land grabs, (WWW) Oxfam (Oxfam.org.uk; 17/10/16)