Across Africa, there's a thirst for clean water: for drinking, cooking, irrigating crops and feeding livestock. Now ingenious new low-tech solutions can provide litres at minimal cost so, with your help, Africans can face a better watered future. For instance: the person-powered treadle pump offers a simple, cheap, low-maintenance solution to drawing water. Water tanks can collect whatever rain there is. Simple drip irrigation conserves water, yet increases crops tenfold by delivering water sparingly where it’s needed.

Gift code: 1648