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Groundwater brings new life to the village of Diaborki

By IW:LEARN

November 27^th, 2025

Testimony of Traoré Ousmane to the Village Chief’s Advisor of Diaborki, Fatoma Commune, Mopti Region – Mali

"My name is Traoré Ousmane, and I am 46 years old. I am the village chief’s advisor of Diaborki, in the rural commune of Fatoma, in central Mali. I am married, and a father of six children—two boys and four girls—and I have lived here all my life."

For a long time, the inhabitants of Diaborki lived with uncertainty. Droughts, conflicts, migration, loss of bearings… In a difficult national and regional context, hope was scarce. After the rainy seasons, activities slowed down. Women remained without work, and the land—although fertile—lacked water to produce year-round.

However, in 2025, a glimmer of hope emerged with the implementation of the NB-ITTAS project, which designated Diaborki as a pilot site for the sustainable management of groundwater.

A Market Garden, a Source of Life

Thanks to the project, a borehole was drilled, equipped with an autonomous water station, a storage tank, and a solar-powered pumping system supplied by a photovoltaic field. These infrastructures allowed the creation of a managed market garden perimeter, very close to the village.

"The establishment of this roughly 2-hectare market garden came at the right time. Here, we had lost hope. Today, it is a new opportunity for our families, especially for our women."

Women as Agents of Change

Before, once the rainy season was over, the women of the village had no activity, due to the lack of irrigated land. Now, with water available all year round, they can grow vegetables, sell their produce at the market, and generate stable income even during the dry season.

"With this perimeter, our women can stay active all year, produce, sell, and contribute to the economic balance of our households. This deeply changes the village dynamic."

Women in the village have received training in vegetable farming. Credit : Pierre Kassogue, Mali.

Ecological Practices for Tomorrow

The project did not only build infrastructure; it also trained the community in ecological farming practices linked to sustainable water management.

"We received practical training on ecological farming. It is now up to us to organize well in order to manage this perimeter efficiently and responsibly."

A Collective Drive for a Better Future

Ousmane Traoré emphasizes the relevances of community mobilization:

"We will organize ourselves by all possible means. This market garden is not just a field: it is a lever to restore hope to the youth, stabilize populations, and build a more stable future despite the challenges of climate and security."

Multiple Impacts: Water, Employment, Dignity

"Water is not just a resource. It is what allows us to stay united… and to still believe in tomorrow."

Groundwater brings new life to the village of Diaborki

About the Demonstration Pilot Project in Mali – Diaborki

Pilot project for integrated and sustainable management of surface and groundwater resources in the Inner Niger Delta (Mopti region)

The pilot project aims to strengthen the resilience of populations and ecosystems to climate change by improving water resource management in the Inner Niger Delta, particularly in Dalladougou. It combines actions to promote groundwater recharge through natural solutions (plantations, land development), improve access to drinking water with equipped boreholes, jointly manage surface and groundwater to support agro-sylvo-pastoral activities, and prevent water-related conflicts.

The project also includes strengthening qualitative and quantitative monitoring of groundwater, improving local governance of water resources, raising awareness among populations about water protection, and organising exchanges to share best practices and lessons learned at the national level.

Expected results include groundwater recharge, better access to drinking water, integrated water management, enhanced monitoring, improved governance, increased awareness, and sessions for sharing the project’s successes.

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.