River contract in Wallonia (Belgium) and its application for water management in the Sourou valley (Burkina Faso)

Abstract

Inspired by the experience of a river contract in Wallonia (Belgium) since 1990, the implementation of a first river contract has been initiated in a West African country, Burkina Faso. This application is not limited to a simple transposition of the Walloon model. The Burkina context calls for adaptation to the local environmental and socio-economical realities with an adequate partnership management. The importance of the mobilization around this project of institutional partners, as well as local collectivities, agricultural producers and water users in general reveals the great expectations of the actors concerning this new tool of water participative management. But will the latter be equal to the task? A first assessment has been drawn up one year after the launch. During the first year of the project, a participative diagnostic was implemented but the understanding of basic notions of water management such as 'river' (not translatable in the local language), 'watershed', 'contract' were not obvious. After the identification of functions and uses of water in the basin, an environmental survey was started. This approach allows study with the river committees of the priority actions to be developed as a first project of restoration of the gallery forest alongside the stream to fight against desertification. This project of integrated and participative management of water at sub-basin level is a concrete example of solidarity and exchange know-how between North and South in the context of a sustainable development.

Attempts to Answer on the Origin of the High Nitrates Concentrations in Groundwaters of the Sourou Valley in Burkina Faso

“…In 2003, through cooperation with the Walloon Region of Belgium, a river contract based on the Walloon model was initiated [4]. This model is an approach of integrated and participatory management which aims at gathering within a river committee of the representatives of all the users of water.…”

“…It consisted in evaluating the nitrates contents of water samples from wells and drillings located primarily in the Sourou Province. This survey of groundwaters nitrates contents is part of the data produced by the network of surface and groundwaters quality survey which was initiated within the framework of the contract of the Sourou River [4]. After a first restitution related to the general quality of surface water [5] and of groundwaters [6], it appeared important to examine the problems related to the high nitrates concentrations observed for wells and drillings in this zone.…”

Qualité des eaux de surface dans la vallée du Sourou : cas des rivières Mouhoun, Sourou, Debe et Gana au Burkina Faso

“…Comme des auteurs l'ont si bien souligné, sans une gestion efficace et efficiente des ressources en eau qui prenne en compte non seulement leur rareté mais également leur qualité, les sociétés deviennent minées par des conditions d'hygiène difficiles et des maladies hydriques, entravant par voie de conséquence leur développement socioéconomique (Phillips et al, 2006 ;Julien, 2006 (Tec, 2005). Outre la gestion des ressources physiques, la GIRE implique la réforme des systèmes humains pour permettre aux individus de retirer le maximum de cette ressource (Kouam et al, 2006 (Rosillon, 2004(Rosillon, et 2007Rosillon et al, 2005 ;Rosillon et Bado, 2006). Au nombre des réalisations à ce jour du "Contrat de Rivière Sourou", on note l'organisation du bassin versant du Sourou en "Zones de Développement Durables", la mise en place de "Comités de Rivières", la réalisation de points d'eau potable, diverses formations et rencontres dans le cadre de la GIRE du bassin versant du Sourou, … La mise en place d'un réseau performant de suivi de la qualité des eaux dans la vallée du Sourou constitue un des éléments essentiels d'aide à la prise de décisions pour préserver la qualité des ressources en eau et pour un développement harmonieux et durable dans la vallée.…”

Public Participation and Environmental Education

“…This horizontal engagement later informed stakeholder input to the RBMPs. This model of decentralized participative management was tested for more than a decade in the Walloon Region in Belgium (Rosillon et al 2005). Some 16 ongoing projects have joined 43% of the Walloon Region and 48% of the region's 262 municipalities in the mutual responsibilities of a river contract (Rosillon et al 2005).…”

“…This model of decentralized participative management was tested for more than a decade in the Walloon Region in Belgium (Rosillon et al 2005). Some 16 ongoing projects have joined 43% of the Walloon Region and 48% of the region's 262 municipalities in the mutual responsibilities of a river contract (Rosillon et al 2005). In Italy, Lombardy and Piedmont were pioneering regions, implementing a number of river contracts for the protection of spring systems, the environmental rehabilitation of flood detention basins, the enhancement of secondary hydrographic networks (e.g., channels, creeks), and the improvement of agricultural systems (WWAP 2015).…”