This is from the authors of the paper Dr. Jennie Barron and Dr. Augustine Ayantunde
Without the storage capacity that small reservoirs offer for local communities, livelihood and well-being would be significantly less resilient towards the weather challenges of the Sudano Sahel. In this aspect , Burkina Faso Ghana and Mali have had an advantage by the large investments done in the 80-90s of small reservoirs. However , for these reservoirs to continue to thrive under more challenging weather , they now need restoration, recuperation and improved management for the multiple use that has evolved. What we find interesting in our research is that because of the multiple use of the small reservoirs , benefiting men and women , incl young, and both crop and livestock parts of agrcultural systems , there are also examples of co-management among communities. To strengthen this co-management among communities, it is necessary to build the capacity of the local water users associations, particularly for the small reservoirs. For the Sudano Sahel farmers and pastoralists to prosper , we think there is need for more water infrastructure in the region , and also a a call for funds for restoring the current capacity of the existing small reservoirs . The small scale distributed water infrastructure can benefit more communities and build better resilience than a few large dams /reservoirs located in the few large rivers.
Thanks Birhanu.
This is from the authors of the paper Dr. Jennie Barron and Dr. Augustine Ayantunde
Without the storage capacity that small reservoirs offer for local communities, livelihood and well-being would be significantly less resilient towards the weather challenges of the Sudano Sahel. In this aspect , Burkina Faso Ghana and Mali have had an advantage by the large investments done in the 80-90s of small reservoirs. However , for these reservoirs to continue to thrive under more challenging weather , they now need restoration, recuperation and improved management for the multiple use that has evolved. What we find interesting in our research is that because of the multiple use of the small reservoirs , benefiting men and women , incl young, and both crop and livestock parts of agrcultural systems , there are also examples of co-management among communities. To strengthen this co-management among communities, it is necessary to build the capacity of the local water users associations, particularly for the small reservoirs. For the Sudano Sahel farmers and pastoralists to prosper , we think there is need for more water infrastructure in the region , and also a a call for funds for restoring the current capacity of the existing small reservoirs . The small scale distributed water infrastructure can benefit more communities and build better resilience than a few large dams /reservoirs located in the few large rivers.