ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how effective water management systems can be realised within the milieu of African social, political and cultural complexities. Socio-cultural, economic and political development processes cannot be easily separated from water resources due to the different varied interfaces between water and human activities. Water serves both as positive and negative inputs for many activities. The role played by water is very significant in many religions and beliefs in Africa to the extent that societies and indigenous peoples have assigned religious and cultural beliefs and values to water for generations. Indigenous people based on their traditions, religions and cultural values have successfully engaged in indigenous water resource management and irrigation systems, although there are variations in methods. In Africa, the role played by traditions, religions and cultural values in the lives of rural communities cannot be downplayed. The recognition of society’s cultural values for water use and related traditional technologies combined with modern technologies will facilitate this effort.
