Insight into the wide range of problems concerning water development in tropical Africa, particularly for the benefit of nonspecialists in the field, is provided in this report. The report examines the mechanics of the hydrological cycle, the origins of the wide variations in rainfall, the potential for water resources development in pastoral areas, and low-cost methods of exploiting these resources. Problems of water quality are also covered in outline form. The final chapter makes recommendations with regard to planning, operational, and maintenance problems. Reference is made to recent advances in the field of water resources, and examples (taken mainly from anglophone African countries) are cited. Eighteen tables and 33 figures are included in the text. A 141-item bibliography (1904-83) is appended. (Author abstract, modified).