Burkina Faso

Project: Teng Koglogo Category: Natural Resource Management

Where?

Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south west. Its size is 274,000 km² with an estimated population of more than 13,200,000 and was formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta. The inhabitants of Burkina Faso are known as Burkinabè. Burkina Faso's capital is Ouagadougou.

Why?

Burkina Faso is overwhelmingly rural with nearly 90% of the population dependent on agriculture as the primary source of income. Since 1973, drought has become an almost permanent feature of the landscape, with knock-on effects of rural exodus, and food shortages or famine. The proportion of the people living below the poverty line (126 Euro per year) in Burkina Faso is 45%. More than 56% of the rural population live below the poverty threshold. In this largely rural, landlocked and resource-poor country, the fundamental causes of poverty are environmental/climatic, including low rainfall and the poverty of the soils. With more than half the population under the age of 15, and a growth rate of 2,7% per year, there is rising pressure on land, water, and other natural resources.

What?

The main activities include the strengthening or installation of water management committees, deepening of 30 wells, repair of 15 bore-holes, construction of 9 new wells, construction of 2 new bore-holes, and construction of 3 barrages/dams. The project will also train local communities in improved management of natural resources, and empower them to carry out key environmental restoration and protection actions. ADRA aims to train farmers in organic compost production, promote the use of green manure to improve soil fertility, and help farmers to install over 500 composting pits. ADRA is planning to install 12 nurseries with 41,500 plants planted for reforestation and train 360 women in the production of fuel efficient wood-burning stoves.

How?

ADRA is working with the local community authorities and village councils. The project commenced in June 2007 and is designed to reinforce the capacities of twelve villages in the Province of Bazèga to effectively manage and enhance their natural and water resources in order to reduce poverty. While the whole community of over 12,000 people will benefit from improved water and natural resource management, among the main beneficiaries will be women, who bear many of the burdens associated with natural resource management. Improved access to drinking water, water for animals and reduced use of wood for cooking through fuel efficient stoves will give women more time for income generating activities, to meet the needs of family members, or their own welfare and leisure. An additional social benefit will be to free up young girls from the daily drudgery of water collection and house chores permitting them to attend school.

Who?

The Teng-Koglogo project, which means “Protection of the Earth” in Moré, the language of the Mossi people, is co-financed by the European Commission and ADRA-UK.

When?

The project started on the 1st of June 2007 and will end on the 1st of May 2010.