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Millions of people will lose access to traditional sources of water because of "land grabs" in Africa, according to a report on Monday that looks behind the scramble for farmland in Africa.

"Across much of Africa, cities are growing quickly. Current projections estimate that by 2050, 60 per cent of the population will be living in urban areas - half of them in slums. Many of these people have little access to services such as clean water and sanitation, and the UN has identified fixing this as a major priority."

"The Orange River has its headwaters in the high mountains of Lesotho, a tiny nation completely surrounded by South Africa. The rural mountain communities farm and herd animals, proud of their ability to survive the harsh conditions."

The Turkana underground water discovery is equivalent in volume to 25 times greater than Loch Ness with an annual recharge rate 3 times the water use in New York City. Turkana will never experience famine again.

"The aquifer is said to hold some 200bn cubic litres of water." "According to Unesco, about 17 million of Kenya's 41 million people lack access to safe water."

"Residents of the Mathare slum area of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, are now able to access water through an ATM-style dispenser."