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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Support for an environmental observation systemfor the Senegal River Basin

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worldwaterforum6.orgsolutionsforwater.org

MERCI / THANK YOU