Post on 12-Mar-2018
Session 1.1.5Pratical approaches for sharing
and monitoring informationSupporting and developing
Environment Observatories in Africa
Janique ETIENNEFGEF Secretariat
March 15th 2012
Support for an environmental observation systemfor the Volta River BasinVBA OBSERVATORY = A PROCESS
Facilitatedecisionmaking-managementof water andtheenvironment;governance)
www.abv-volta.org
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Government
Departments
Decentralised services
NGOAssociation
s of users
…
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MoUs for exchangeof:•Information•Data•Results Human Resources
Network of datacollection anddissemination ofinformation anduseful data
Agreed methodsfor data collectionand validation
Standardisedscientific andtechnical tools
NFS2
NFS3
NFS4NFS5
NFS6BB
NFS = National FocalStructure:NHS, WebCorrespondents;National CartographicServices, Agriculturalwatermanagers,G.Water,Water Quality, Water-related Diseases, …
Support for an environmental observation systemfor the Volta River Basin
VBA OBSERVATORY = MEANS
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The Observation System created in 2004 by the NBAMember States in response to
Deterioration of the environment due to the combinedeffects of climate change and pressure from an ever-growing population
Challenges for managing environmental data on the riverbasin (limited and scattered data, minimal leveraging, etc.)
The outlook for peaceful, sustainable development inthe Niger Basin (Shared Vision)
Mission:
Help reinforce the NBA's role as co-ordinator andimprove the joint management of natural resourcesacross the basin
The Niger Basin Observation System (NBO) becameoperational thanks to €1.2 million in financial support fromFGEF/FDA, provided as a grant for the “Support for anEnvironmental Observation System for the Niger RiverBasin” project
The goal is to ultimately provide the NBA with a set ofdecision support tools designed to improve the co-ordinated joint management of natural resources as well asthe social and economic activities in the Niger River basin
Projectbeneficiariesinclude theNiger BasinAuthority (NBA)and its nineMember States:Benin, Burkina-Faso,Cameroon,Ivory Coast,Guinea, Mali,Niger, Nigeria,and Chad.
The Niger BasinAuthority wascreated in 1980 inFaraway (Guinea) toreplace the NigerRiver Commission,which was foundedin 1964 in Niamey(Niger). From 2002to 2008 the NBAimplemented theShared Visionprocess forsustainabledevelopment of theNiger basin.
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Support for an environmental observation system for theNiger River basin
This project is intended toprovide a set of decisionsupport tools to the NigerBasin Authority (NBA) inorder to improve the co-ordinated joint managementof natural and environmentalresources in the Niger basin.
> The basin of the NigerRiver—the third-largest inAfrica—is shared by thenine States which createdthe Niger Basin Authorityin 1980. Extensiveinfrastructure work iseither underway orcomplete in various partsof the basin. This workhas a major impact on theenvironment and thehuman population.
The project addresses a key requirement, clearlyfavoured by all the stakeholders (MemberStates, technical and financial partners), forobtaining knowledge of the natural and humanenvironment as well as decision support tools.
1. Agricultural and demographic density2. Population density3. Average annual demographic growth
rate4. Extent of flooded areas5. Prevalence of water-born diseases6. Gross schooling rate7. Gross literacy rate8. Production of hydroelectricity9. Drinking water access rate10. Percentage of the population with
access to an improved purificationsystem
11. Index of municipal waste released intofresh water (suspended solids, BOD)
12. Growth rate for fish production13. Importance of livestock14. Water erosion rate15. Protected area management level16. Annual surface area affected by
brushfire17. Human development index18. Drought index19. Deterioration rate of arable land
through wind and water erosion20. Proportion of sandy terrain21. Flow rates at key points22. Flow rate compliance with
environmental targets23. Irrigated areas with total or partial
water control24. Compatibility of existing and projected
hydraulic structures25. Surface and ground water abstraction26. Agricultural production by speculation
type and production method27. Forested areas28. Change in tree cover
KEY LESSONS FROM THEPROJECT AND OUTLOOKSmooth operation of the NBO and itsactivities are closely tied to the NBA'sKey Natural Structures, and its rolemust be consolidated.
The major constraints and challengesconcern:
Data acquisition procedures
The lack of responsiveness from boththe key structures and the national dataproviders
The lack of internal NBA financing forNBO activities over the long term
Conclusion: Continued progressdepends on effective financing foractivities and the availability of thedata required by the data analysisand distribution tools
NIGER BASIN AUTHORITYExecutive Secretariat
PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTSCountries were consulted extensivelythrough several national and regionalworkshops
Basic analysis for making the NBOoperational
Creation of a list of 28 key indicators andtheir specifications
GIS platform and reference status of keyindicators
http://georepertoire.abn.ne/genetwork
Development Plan for the Niger BasinObservation System Data acquisitionprocedures
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