Water scarcity and household adaptation strategies in Gasizi Cell, Nyabihu District, Rwanda

The central importance of water is clear in any assessment of life-sustaining needs. But, despite this vital role of water, nowadays people in some parts of the world are suffering from water scarcity /shortage, limited freshwater availability and accessibility impacting both rural and urban communities. This research focuses on water scarcity in Gasizi Cell, Mukamira Sector, Nyabihu District. It examines the factors contributing to water shortages and how local households cope with that issue from season to season. Using a sample of 146 households, the study identified both natural and human-made causes of water scarcity as revealed by respondents. To a number of factors identified, financial constraints and family size were also found to be impacting access and usage of water. While water scarcity often negatively affects communities, it also creates economic opportunities, such as water vendors benefiting from shortages and sell water to generate income. The study recommends implementation of a multi-stakeholder approach, stronger monitoring, improved water supply infrastructures, water harvesting and storage facilities to enhance water supply, availability, and accessibility to water in the area.