Water, Land and Ecosystems - Burkina Faso

People and water: understanding integrated systems needs integrated approaches

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 12:38:51 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Carr, Gemma
Barendrecht, M. H.
Debevec, Liza
Kuil, L.
Bloschl, G.

As we rapidly modify the environment around us, researchers have a critical role to play in raising our understanding of the interactions between people and the world in which they live. Knowledge and understanding of these interactions are essential for evidence based decision-making on resource use and risk management. In this paper, we explore three research case studies that illustrate co-evolution between people and water systems. In each case study, we highlight how different knowledge and understanding, stemming from different disciplines, can be integrated by complementing narratives with a quantitative modelling approach. We identify several important research practices that must be taken into account when modelling people-water systems: transparency, grounding the model in sound theory, supporting it with the most robust data possible, communicating uncertainty, recognising that there is no ‘one true model’ and diversity in the modelling team. To support interdisciplinary research endeavours, we propose a three-point plan: (1) demonstrating and emphasising that interdisciplinary collaboration can both address existing research questions and identify new, previously unknown questions at the interface between the disciplines; (2) supporting individual interdisciplinary learning at all career stages and (3) developing group practices and a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Download

Download

Citation

Carr, G.; Barendrecht, M. H.; Debevec, Liza; Kuil, L.; Bloschl, G. 2020. People and water: understanding integrated systems needs integrated approaches. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-AQUA, 69(8):819-832. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2020.055]

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111070

Spatial and temporal dynamics of croplands in expanding West African cities

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 12:38:51 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Karg, H.
Drechsel, Pay
Dittrich, N.
Cauchois, A.

The rapid expansion of cities in West Africa has implications for urban cropland. This study aimed to assess the dynamics of cropland in West African cities over time and space, to identify key drivers, and to report the effects of changing cropland on farmers and farmers’ resilience strategies. Cities studied were Accra (Ghana), Bamako (Mali), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and Bamenda (Cameroon). Methodology involved multi-temporal spatial analysis of satellite images and farmer surveys. Results showed that the share of urban land covered by cropland differed in these cities, with higher shares in Accra and Bamenda, which included rainfed cultivation. Over the past 15 years, Accra has lost large shares of its farming areas, both in the inner-urban areas as well as in the fringe, whereas loss in Bamenda has been less substantial. In Ouagadougou and Bamako, where only irrigated sites were captured, cropland has shifted to the fringes but increased overall. Key drivers influencing the direction of change were official support of urban farming (or lack thereof), population pressure, and the availability of public open spaces that are not suitable for construction. In cities with decreasing cropland, implications included diminishing individual farm sizes, intensification of remaining sites, cessation of farming in the city, and the shift to other sites, which—apart from the physical availability of land and related resources—depends on social relations and informal rules.

Download

Download

Citation

Karg, H.; Drechsel, Pay; Dittrich, N.; Cauchois, A. 2020. Spatial and temporal dynamics of croplands in expanding West African cities. Urban Agriculture and Regional Food Systems, 5(1):e20005. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/uar2.20005]

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Rural-Urban Linkages

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110880

No changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following long-term prescribed burning and livestock exclusion in the Sudan-savanna woodlands of Burkina Faso

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 11:36:00 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Land Management
Livestock
Policy
Soil

Languageen

Authors

Aynekulu, Ermias
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
Rosenstock, Todd S.
Noordwijk, Meinevan
Tsegaye, Diress
Koala, Jonas
Sawadogo, Louis
Milne, Eleanor
Leeuw, Jan de
Shepherd, Keith D.

Fire and overgrazing reduce aboveground biomass, leading to land degradation and potential impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) dynamics. However, empirical data are lacking on how prescribed burning and livestock exclusion impact SOC in the long-term. Here we analyse the effects of 19 years of prescribed annual burning and livestock exclusion on tree density, SOC and TN concentrations in the Sudanian savanna ecoregion at two sites (Tiogo and Laba) in Burkina Faso. Results revealed that neither livestock exclusion nor prescribed burning had significant impact on SOC and TN concentrations. The results at both sites indicate that 19 years of livestock and fire exclusion did not result in a significant increase in tree density compared to grazing and annual prescribed burning. The overall mean (± SEM) of SOC stocks in the 0–50 cm depth increment in the unburnt (53.5 ± 4.7 Mg C ha−1) and annually burnt (56.4 ± 4.3 Mg C ha−1) plots at Tiogo were not statistically different. Similarly, at Laba there was no significant difference between the corresponding figures in the unburnt (37.9 ± 2.6 Mg ha−1) and in the annually burnt plots (38.6 ± 1.9 Mg ha−1). Increases in belowground inputs from root turnover may have countered changes in aboveground biomass, resulting in no net change in SOC and TN. We conclude that, contrary to our expectation and current policy recommendations, restricting burning or grazing did not result in increase in SOC stocks in this dry savanna ecosystem.

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Aynekulu, Ermias; Sileshi, Gudeta W.; Rosenstock, Todd S.; Noordwijk, Meinevan; Tsegaye, Diress; Koala, Jonas; Sawadogo, Louis; Milne, Eleanor; Leeuw, Jande; Shepherd, Keith. 2021. No changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following long-term prescribed burning and livestock exclusion in the Sudan-savanna woodlands of Burkina Faso. Basic and applied ecology. 56(2021):165-175 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2021.07.007

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114637

Solutions

Faecal sludge management in Africa: socioeconomic aspects and human and environmental health implications

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 11:35:41 +0000

Regions

Southern Africa

TypeReport

Languageen

Authors

United Nations Environment Programme
International Water Management Institute

Download

Download

Citation

United Nations Environment Programme; International Water Management Institute. 2020. Faecal sludge management in Africa: socioeconomic aspects and human and environmental health implications. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 64p.

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Rural-Urban Linkages

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113608

Remote sensing approach for spatial planning of land management interventions in West African savannas

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Biodiversity
Land Management

Languageen

Authors

Heiskanen, J.
Liu, J.
Valbuena, R.
Aynekulu, Ermias
Packalen, P.
Pellikka, P.

Forest management, agroforestry and tree planting are some of the key approaches to sustainable rural development, and climate change adaptation and mitigation in West African savannas. However, the planning of land management interventions is hindered by the lack of information at relevant spatial resolution. We examined predictive models for mapping various tree, soil and species diversity attributes with a comparison of RapidEye and Landsat imagery. The field data was collected in the vicinity of the community-managed forest in southern Burkina Faso, where the main environmental threats are agricultural expansion and fuelwood extraction. The modelling was done using Random Forest algorithm. According to our results, tree crown cover and correlated attributes, such as basal area and tree species richness, were predicted most accurately. High spatial resolution RapidEye imagery provided the best accuracy but difference to medium resolution Landsat imagery was negligible for most attributes. Burn scar masked Landsat time series performed similar to dry season single date Landsat imagery, but the former avoids image selection and mosaicking, and could be less sensitive to artifacts due to the burn scars. The presented approach provides valuable information on important tree, soil and species diversity attributes for spatial planning of land management interventions.

Download

Download

Citation

Heiskanen, J.; Liu, J.; Valbuena, R.; Aynekulu, E.; Packalen, P.; Pellikka, P. 2017. Remote sensing approach for spatial planning of land management interventions in West African savannas. Journal of Arid Environments 140, 29-41.

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99295

Solutions

The potential role of socio-hydrological models for participatory water governance in Burkina Faso

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeBrief

Subjects

Decision making
Governance
Models
Water Management
Water Quality
Water use

Languageen

Authors

Carr, Gemma
Barendrecht, Marlies
Debevec, Liza

Halting and reversing water quality degradation is a major global concern. The variety of needs and priorities placed on water resources make the issue of water pollution multifaceted and complex. Addressing water quality management requires an approach that can tackle the diversity of requirements and concerns to achieve effective strategies. In Burkina Faso, stakeholder participation plays an important role in effective catchment management. The Participatory Water Governance Project in Rural Burkina Faso has developed support strategies to strengthen the capacity of local-level Water User Committees. Research conducted by TU Wien (Technical University Vienna) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) aims to support the project by exploring the potential role of socio-hydrological models in water management decision making. The areas around the River Kou and Bapla Reservoir were the focus for this part of the study. The specific question addressed by TU Wien was: can a socio-hydrological model be developed that accurately captures the relationships between people and water quality in the study area?

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Carr, Gemma; Barendrecht, Marlies; Debevec, Liza. 2019. The potential role of socio-hydrological models for participatory water governance in Burkina Faso. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 11p.

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107287

Solutions

Ideologies. Development models and irrigated land tenure: the bagré irrigation project in Burkina faso

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeCase Study

Subjects

Land Management

Languageen

Authors

Venot, Jean-Philippe
Daré, William
Kabore, Etienne
Francoise, Gerard
Tapsoba, Abdoulaye
Idani, Donatien
Carboni, Simone

This paper discusses the history of irrigation development and related land allocation in the Bagré area in the South of Burkina Faso. It specifically analyses current processes at play as part of the recent Bagré Growth Pole Project implemented by the government of Burkina Faso with support of the World Bank. The paper stresses the efforts made to put in place a fair and equitable compensation mechanism for the people being affected by the extension of the irrigated area downstream of the Bagré dam. The practicalities and thresholds considered in the compensation scheme are partly driven by the need to free some rainfed land to allow agro-entrepreneurs to settle in the area, financially contribute to the infrastructural costs of developing irrigation, and develop intensive and profitable irrigated production systems. This leads to socially constructing land scarcity, and threatens the future viability of smallholder farming. This happens even though the expressions of interests received to date by Bagrepole from agro-entrepreneurs appear little likely to trigger the virtuous development circle hoped for.

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Venot, Jean Philippe; Dare, William; Kabore, Etienne; Francoise, Gerard; Tapsoba, Abdoulaye; Idani, Donatien; Carboni, Simone. 2017.Ideologies. Development models and irrigated land tenure: the bagré irrigation project in Burkina faso.Burkina Faso:UPR GREEN, CIRAD.32p.

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/80213

Solutions

Landscape Restoration

Understanding smallholder irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: results of a sample survey from nine countries

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Languageen

Authors

Shah, Tushaar
Verma, S.
Pavelic, Paul

Smallholder irrigation is emerging as a development priority in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on a survey of 1554 smallholders from nine countries, this paper compares rainfed farming with gravity-flow, manual-lift and motor-pump irrigation. Motor-pump-irrigation farmers reported the highest net value added per acre and per family worker, with gravity-flow and manual-irrigation farmers earning marginally more than rainfed-only farmers. In addition to making affordable pumps more readily available, improving the availability of working capital, enhancing security of tenure and ensuring the availability of affordable fuel are all likely to accelerate smallholder irrigation development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Citation

Shah, Tushaar; Verma, S.; Pavelic, Paul. 2013. Understanding smallholder irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: results of a sample survey from nine countries. Water International, 38(6):809-826. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2013.843843

Accessibility

Limited Access

Research Themes

Land and Water Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40310

Water-balance approach for assessing potential for smallholder groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

TypeJournal Article

Subjects

Smallholders
Agricultural water management
Groundwater
Irrigation
Ecosystems

Languageen

Authors

Pavelic, Paul
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Favreau, G.
Villholth, Karen G.

Strategies for increasing the development and use of groundwater for agriculture over much of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are urgently needed. Expansion of small-scale groundwater irrigation offers an attractive option to smallholder farmers to overcome unreliable wet-season rainfall and enhance dry-season production. This paper presents a simple, generic groundwater-balance-based methodology that uses a set of type-curves to assist with decision making on the scope for developing sustainable groundwater irrigation supplies, and to help understand how cropping choices influence the potential areal extent of irrigation. Guidance to avoid over-exploitation of the resource is also provided. The methodology is applied to 2 sites in West Africa with contrasting climatic and subsurface conditions. At both sites the analysis reveals that there is significant potential for further groundwater development for irrigation whilst allowing provisions for other sectoral uses, including basic human needs and the environment.

Download

Download

Citation

Pavelic, Paul; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Favreau, G.; Villholth, Karen G. 2012. Water-balance approach for assessing potential for smallholder groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Water SA, 38(3): 399-406. (Special edition on International Conference on Groundwater).

Accessibility

Open Access

Research Themes

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34597

Solutions

Groundwater availability and use in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of 15 countries

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:02:41 +0000

Regions

Southern Africa

TypeBook

Languageen

Authors

Pavelic, Paul
Giordano, Mark
Keraita, Bernard N.
Ramesh, Vidya
Rao, Tamma

Traditionally, the spread and extent of human settlement beyond the major riparian zones of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and across many other arid regions of the world, has been determined by availability of groundwater supplies, accessed through hand-dug wells andsprings. In more recent times, groundwater is the preferred means of supplying water to meet the growing demand of the rural, dispersed communities and the small urban towns across SSA. It is estimated that about 100 million of the rural population throughout SSA areserviced by groundwater for domestic supplies and livestock rearing (Adelana and MacDonald, 2008), with most of the villages and small towns having access to groundwater supplies (Masiyandima and Giordano, 2007).

Download

Download PDF

Citation

Pavelic P, Giordano M, Keraita B, Ramesh V, Rao T, eds. 2012. Groundwater availability and use in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of 15 countries. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Accessibility

Open Access

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/10568/33844