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Introduction
March 2004 is the water month. We need to reflect on the importance of water in our lives. In this regard this column will discuss water challenges in the context of Swaziland. 

Water is a finite and vulnerable resource, yet essential to sustain life, development and the environment. There is no substitute for water, for without it there would be no life.  22 March 2004 is particularly the World Water Day. The theme for this day is "Water and Disasters."

This theme is relevant to us, and it comes at a time when the government has finally declared the persisting drought a national disaster. Poverty, HIV/Aids, drought and floods have always been conspiring against the Swazi populace. These disasters have rendered us hopeless, and we are now looking up to our Northern charitable friends. Africa has been characterised by words such as poverty, hunger, powerlessness, corruption, illiteracy, diseases etc. This is how our countries are, Swaziland included. Pretending the above description does not depict our situation would be both naïve and self-deceiving.

HIV infection rate is escalating to alarming proportions. Poverty particularly in the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions is heartrending. We need to quickly respond to this crisis because people in these regions are part of us. The problem of water and poverty go hand in hand. It is estimated that 47 percent of Swazis do not have access to clean water. While over 217 00 people (about 20% of the population)  require  food aid as a result of the drought phenomenon. Further, drought has not spared animals either. In the Shiselweni region alone, more than 2 300 cattle have died over the past seven months due to water shortage. This is a worrying situation and speaks volumes about the state of the disaster. 

It is thus imperative that we come up with practical strategies that will avail the limited resource to all. We should come up with sound drought management plans that are adapted to the present and future situations. Adaptation strategies should provide us with the necessary resilience to stand the situation. We can no longer afford any surprises when rains refuse to come. Availing water is not just about constructing large water infrastructure such as dams. Dams can only collect what is available, and they lose their "savioural" benefit in acute drought conditions.

All stakeholders are thus challenged to do something about the prevailing situation. The government should take the lead in committing itself to the management of drought. Financial commitment is crucial; we will need more than touring around the drought-stricken areas.  Water should be at the centre of the country’s sustainable development agenda. When this has been done, then and only then will the struggle to abate the drought have begun. Then we shall no longer characterize the country with words such as diseases, poverty, hunger etc but rather with words such as initiative, forbearance and strength.

Of course there is a more convenient alternative, a more inviting choice, and that would be to accept the deprivation, disease as a fate for many in the country, and let the poverty prevail. How convenient, yet deadly! Watch this column for subsequent articles addressing water and disasters in Swaziland.