Analysis of River Basin Management in Madagascar and Lessons Learned from Japan

Abstract

River basins in Madagascar are prone to water scarcity and conflicts of use, which are projected to worsen due to climate change. Therefore, effective integrated water resources management (IWRM) is key. This review examines the current condition of IWRM in Madagascar, evaluates its sustainability, and compares it with the one in Japan. The effects of climate change were analyzed using Aqueduct data. Madagascar has established an IWRM legal framework aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals; however, its application remains limited. For Japan, it was useful to establish IWRM for floods, water utilization, and environmental conservation. This study analyzes the future projections of water availability and demand for the 12 major river basins of Madagascar. Climate change will reduce water availability; the West and the East will experience water stress; the demand will be higher in the highlands, with less water available in the south. The proposed framework and Japan’s experience in river basin management can contribute to solving those problems. The findings of this study serve to enhance the knowledge on IWRM and the impact of climate change in Madagascar; they also suggest actions to be taken by the Malagasy government.

Energy and water: COVID‐19 impacts and implications for interconnected sustainable development goals

“…At this time, approximately 28.3 billion m 3 of water is used in Japan for domestic and industrial purposes. Seventy‐five percent of this water is obtained from rivers; of these rivers, 83 percent (57% of the total amount of urban water) have been developed through the construction of such water resource facilities 47 . Hence it ranks high with countries like the United States and Sweden on the life expectancy statistics over the last 20 years.…”

“…Seventy‐five percent of this water is obtained from rivers; of these rivers, 83 percent (57% of the total amount of urban water) have been developed through the construction of such water resource facilities. 47 Hence it ranks high with countries like the United States and Sweden on the life expectancy statistics over the last 20 years. On the lower end of the spectrum, an estimated population of 14.2 million people lives in Zimbabwe, with approximately 10 million of those individuals residing in rural areas.…”

A Systematic Review of Water Resources Assessment at a Large River Basin Scale: Case of the Major River Basins in Madagascar

“…A previous study revealed that water scarcity was threatening two-thirds of the African population in the sub-Saharan region, one-quarter of which is undernourished, and one-fifth face serious water shortages [12]. Rakotoarimanana and Ishidaira (2022) found that climate change will reduce water availability in Madagascar's major river basins by 2040 [13]. Moreover, it has been found that water-related natural hazards are the most destructive to human life and property [14][15][16].…”