A History of Water, Series 3, Vol. 3 : Water and Food: From Hunter-Gatherers to Global Production in Africa.

Abstract

All societies must manage their water resources. From the early civilizations of the Indus valley, nearly 5,000 years ago, to today’s megacities, meeting the water needs of an urban population remains a perpetual task. How a society manages and controls its water resources - whether for food and farming, drinking, sanitation, power or transport – plays a formative role in its development. And never more so than in our own century, with the global population approaching seven billion and the continuing threat of climate change. As concerns over global water resources continue to grow, the pioneering History of Water series brings a much needed historical perspective to the relationship between water and society. Covering all aspects of water and society - social, cultural, political, religious and technological - the volumes reveal how water issues can only be fully understood when all aspects are properly integrated. Unprecedented in its geographical coverage and unrivalled in its multidisciplinary span, the History of Water series makes a unique and original contribution to a key contemporary issue.