Darfur has an extremely high population concentration, caused in part by the ongoing conflict. This imposes high demands on local water resources and the environment. In some particular areas, rain falls for only four months a year and the ground does not store water effectively. While there are some exceptional areas rich in groundwater such as the wadis or a few sandstone areas, these are of little benefit for populations that are unable to travel to these sources without fear of harassment.
This paper studies the local water needs of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) communities living in Darfur, Sudan, calling for a Sustainable Relief Management (SRM) framework to be implemented in all relief work.
