The RECIRCULATE project is an action-oriented research project aimed at driving eco-innovation in Africa through building capacity for a safe circular water economy to deliver innovative solutions to pressing problems with water use and safety.

According to the recent African Union report (2014) “On the Wings of Change. Science, Technology and Innovation for Africa – 2024 Strategy”, 50% of Africans live in areas without adequate water (800 million people by 2025); 96% of African agriculture is dependent upon rainfall; 80% of Africa’s population live in rural areas; Africa’s urban pollution is ‘exploding’; 94% of domestic energy needs come from biomass (firewood) in Africa, and 90% of natural disasters are climate-related.

Informed by these statistics, Lancaster University, UK, CSIR and other partners are working towards a safer circular water economy, and the project is underpinned by four interlinked research areas: (i) water for sanitation and health; (ii) water for food production; (iii) water for energy production, and (iv) water, pathogens and health. Through these research lenses, the core objectives of the 5-year project include but not limited to the following:

• To understand how African eco-innovation systems, work, how they differ from European models, and what innovations would be needed to achieve SDGs 8 and 13.
• To grow the capacity and capability in Africa’s eco-innovation community by developing and promoting new innovations through better-skilled people
• To establish African research organizations as ‘anchor’ institutions that drives and sustains change.
• To enable African researchers to co-design ambitious eco-innovation projects aimed at delivering a safe circular water economy for Africa

Leading the consortium, Lancaster University, UK works with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ghana, Lancaster University Campus, Ghana, University of Benin Nigeria, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), National Commission for Science and Technology Malawi and Copperbelt University, Zambia towards translating the vision of the project into impact-driven deliverables.

The project which is on-going is expected to deliver innovative solutions to pressing problems with water use and safety. RECIRCULATE will “join up” the different ways in which water sustains communities, from sewage disposal to energy generation and water used in food production.