10%

Before, the land wore me out. Today, it feeds me

By IW:LEARN

October 30^th, 2025

The story of Aissatou, a farmer in Gogbèdè, northern Benin (Kandi basin)

Forced to Leave

In Gogbèdè, a small village about twenty kilometres from Kandi, 52-year-old Aissatou has been farming the land since childhood. For years, she has witnessed the changing climate: rainfall has become unpredictable, floods have become more violent, and the land has become increasingly barren.

"Ten years ago, we still knew when to plant. Today, it's a gamble. Either it rains too much, or not at all,"

she says, sitting under the shade of a shea tree.

For a long time, Aissatou saw her yields decline. The soil was exhausted. Crops would fail, and the water, when it did come, would vanish just as quickly—washing away seeds and hopes. She even considered leaving the village with her family to look for work elsewhere.

But everything began to change with the arrival of the ITTAS pilot project, which aims to promote sustainable and climate-resilient water resource management in the sedimentary basin of Kandi.

Water, soil… and hope return

The pilot project in Benin introduced innovative yet locally adapted practices such as:

Water and Soil Conservation (WSC)
Conservation Agriculture (CA)
Integrated Crop-Livestock Management (ICLM)
Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

To this end, training sessions were organised to help 32 agro-pastoralists and fishers, including Aissatou, adopt these new approaches. The project also developed an irrigated perimeter to support year-round socio-economic activities for communities around Gogbèdè and built an infiltration basin to enhance groundwater recharge.

"Before, we waited for the rain. Soon, the water will come to us — and it will stay in the ground longer,"

Aissatou smiles.

Aissatou, Kora Tamou, Nafissatou Abdoulaye, and fellow beneficiaries during an agroecology training session aimed at reducing water pollution through improved market gardening practices. Photo: Francis Azonwade, Benin

Diverse crops, stable income

Thanks to the improved water availability and healthier soil, Aissatou can now diversify her crops. She’s even considering starting a small goat farm. The training showed her how crop residues can feed the animals, while their manure returns to the soil — a simple but effective loop.

"I didn’t go to school for long, but I’ve learned one thing: if we take care of the land and the water, they take care of us."

Women and youth leading the change

Aissatou is not alone. Other farmers like Kora Tamou, from Donwari, have also seen the benefits of the project:

"My soil now holds moisture better, my vegetables resist drought longer. And I’m working with other producers to sell more efficiently at the market."

For Nafissatou Abdoulaye, 22, a market gardener from Kandi:

"Thanks to the training, I learned how to make compost and use natural pest control methods. I spend less, sell better, and now I dream of starting a cooperative with other young women."

Aissatou (in blue), fully focused during an agroecology training session designed to reduce water pollution through more sustainable market gardening practices. Photo: Francis Azonwade, Benin

A land for people, a land for tomorrow

Today, a new community-driven dynamic is emerging, where everyone — men and women, youth and elders — becomes a stakeholder in local resilience.

With the expected rise in groundwater levels thanks to the pilot project, crops will be more resilient, incomes and food security will improve, and rural exodus may slow down.

"The water this project will bring us gives us back our confidence in the land. And that is priceless."

About the Demonstration Pilot Project in Benin

Located in the sedimentary basin of Kandi, specifically in the village of Gogbèdè (Bensékou arrondissement, Kandi commune), this pilot project aims to promote sustainable and climate-resilient water resource management for the benefit of local communities and surrounding ecosystems.

Gogbèdè faces recurring challenges linked to extreme weather events: severe flooding during the rainy season and groundwater scarcity during prolonged dry periods. During floods, homes — often made of mudbrick (banco) — and farmlands suffer extensive damage. These issues, identified through the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA), pose long-term threats to the socio-economic development of the region.

To address these challenges, the project adopts a participatory approach, implementing localized and practical solutions with strong potential for upscaling.

Specific Objectives:

Reduce the impact of flooding through the construction of retention and infiltration infrastructure to enhance groundwater recharge;
Mobilize groundwater resources via wells and boreholes to support year-round agro-sylvo-pastoral activities;
Monitor water levels to ensure sustainable resource management;
Raise awareness among local populations on pollution prevention and good water management practices;
Document and disseminate lessons learned, with a focus on artificial groundwater recharge.

Initial Results:

While awaiting the construction of major infrastructure, several activities have already been implemented:

Agroecology training for market gardening groups to help reduce water pollution;
Awareness campaigns for agro-pastoralists and fishers on good practices to protect the quality of water resources in the Kandi basin.

By combining physical infrastructure, local capacity-building, and community engagement, the pilot project aims to strengthen resilience to climate extremes and ensure sustainable access to water resources year-round.

About the NB-ITTAS project

The NB-ITTAS Project supports sustainable water management in the Niger River Basin and the Iullemeden-Taoudéni/Tanezrouft Aquifer System (ITTAS) across 11 African countries. Led by OSS, NBA, UNESCO, and UNIDO, it promotes knowledge-based IWRM and strengthens water governance for community and ecosystem resilience. Key achievements include a validated TDA/SAP, hydrogeological modelling, and six pilot sites testing best practices in groundwater management, pollution control, and climate adaptation. The project contributes to SDGs 2, 6.5, and 13, and demonstrates scalable solutions to transboundary water challenges in the Sahel.