© James Morgan / WWF-US
The Blue Heart of Africa
The Blue Heart of Africa is a framework initiative that will ensure that Africa's freshwater resources are effectively managed and conserved to sustain locally and globally important ecosystems, biodiversity and provide a foundation for sustainable development and secure livelihoods.

© WWF

Threats to Africa's Freshwater Resources

Water is one of the most important resources with great implications for Africa’s development. However, African natural water resources are facing various threats, including: over-abstraction of water at unsustainable rates, inappropriate infrastructure development, invasive non-native species, land transformation destroying catchment integrity, overfishing, among others.

© Sarah Black / WWF

Our goal is to catalyze new partnerships and transform the way people value rivers to secure the Blue Heart of Africa - conserving biodiverse landscapes, improving food, energy and water security.

Our Solution
We aim to support African countries to meet national, regional and global commitments towards water security through four pillars along the water value chain.

© Brent Stirton / Reportage by Getty Images / WWF

Safeguarding Sources & Flows

Securing the sources of water and environmental flows on the continent through our Free-Flowing Rivers Initiative

© Helena Telkänranta / WWF

Sustainable Freshwater Fisheries

Improving the sustainable use of Africa’s freshwater fisheries to derive both biodiversity and nutrition benefits for the continent

© James Suter / Black Bean Productions / WWF-US

Promoting a One Health Agenda

Developing partnerships to address water, sanitation and health (WASH) issues in priority freshwater landscapes and connect this with the One Health agenda

© Richard Barrett / WWF-UK

Promoting Nature-Based Solutions

Scaling up opportunities for water nature-based solutions and adaptation across Africa by focusing on implementation in our programs

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