Title

Benin: Development of an Enabling Environment and Pilot Practices for Resilient Management of the Porto-Novo Lagoon

Benelux: Farmer participation in water conservation
Country
Benin
Belgium Netherlands (the)
Summary

In August 2014, Benin adopted a framework law on fishing and aquaculture. The result of the efforts of the Ministry of Fisheries was reinforced by the advocacy of the Benin Country Water Partnership (CWP-Benin) for the resilient management of the Porto-Novo lagoon. This law enshrines the harmonization of fisheries legislation with IWRM principles and helps incentivize resilient public investments in this sector.

In the Netherlands and Belgium, good quality of water has become increasingly scarce. Action was taken and a project was initiated with the objective of conserving water quality and increasing water use efficiency in agriculture. The case illustrates the importance of involving farmers and other water users initially, so that they feel a sense of responsibility and motivation to introduce new approaches.
Related IWRM Tools
Keywords
Advocacy Resilient Investments Fishing
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Stakeholder engagement Transboundary cooperation Rhine-Meuse
Lessons Learned

To operationalise the IWRM approach at the country level, it is possible to engage stakeholders from a local level as shown by the example of advocacy for the sustainable management of the Porto-Novo lagoon led by CWP-Benin and its partners. An important condition is to target and engage the right actors and partners as well as the opportunities to influence governance processes.

Overall, the CWP-Benin has taken a cautious approach that emphasises sustainability over speed of implementation. Thus, the stakeholders were able to become real partners for action and actors of qualitative changes committed to strengthening the achievements and their sustainability after the end of the IWRM pilot action.

The field visit that allowed the MPs to see the extent of the degradation of Lake Nokoué and the lagoon and to exchange directly with the users and actors of the fisheries sector was decisive in the outcome, less than two months later, of the process of voting on the framework law on fisheries and aquaculture.

The availability and capacity to mobilise the expertise of the CWP-Benin for the cross-analysis of the draft framework law with the law on water management, as well as the updating of the explanatory memorandum, were also key factors in the rapid completion of the process.

Communication and stakeholder participation were crucial in the development and for the success of the project and have meant that:

Farmers have been willing to install and operate weirs effectively, which was essential for the success of the project.

There has been greater mutual trust between Dutch and Flemish partners.

Transboundary knowledge transfer has led to greater insight into the opportunities and techniques of applying water saving measures.

Farmers and market gardeners have a greater awareness of the importance of water and are willing to take part in future water management activities. 
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