Dr. Aaron Salzberg is Special Coordinator for Water Resources at the State Department. You probably didn't know there was such a person, right?
At our AWRA Board of Directors meeting a few weeks ago, Aaron visited us and gave the following presentation, which he granted me permission to post as a pdf:
Download Salzberg - Int. Water Issues
Take a look at slide 19 - correlation between rainfall and GDP in Zimbabwe (I believe he said that agriculture was about 20% of Zimbabwe's GDP):
The beige is the real GDP growth (%) and the blue line is the rainfall variability (meters). You can access a better graphic in the pdf.
Interesting, right?
Here's why water matters to State (from his presentation):
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Basic human need
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Economic growth/poverty reduction
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Conflict prevention
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Build trust and promote cooperation
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Democracy building
I was impressed with Aaron - Jim Thebaut thinks very highly of him, especially his efforts to get the Sen. Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act up and running. Nice to know savvy water people are at the State Department.
"To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds." -- President Barack Obama, 20 January 2009
After 1993, the correlation breaks down because Mugabe goes power-mad.
Bad governance trumps good water supplies.
Posted by: David Zetland | Monday, 02 February 2009 at 11:23 AM