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The Houet Stream: An ecological and cultural revival

An inspiring example of sustainable management and community engagement in Burkina Faso

By IW:LEARN

February 21^st, 2025

In Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, the Houet stream, once a natural and spiritual sanctuary, has suffered severe degradation due to pollution, erosion, and biodiversity loss. This iconic waterway is slowly regaining its former glory thanks to an ambitious initiative led by stakeholders and the NB-ITTAS project.

Ecological cleanup and restoration

The stream's banks, once overwhelmed by waste and erosion, were cleaned through collective efforts involving local residents. These activities cleared the debris and stabilized the banks, paving the way for reforestation and the restoration of biodiversity.

Campaign to clean up the banks of the Houet marigot. Credit: Valentin Tiama.

The sacred Catfish: Symbols of peace and hope

The Houet stream is closely tied to the sacred catfish, emblematic creatures, and spiritual guardians of Bobo-Dioulasso. Their presence, intertwined with ancestral rites, represents harmony and prosperity. Their gradual return, enabled by improved water quality, is seen as both an ecological and cultural triumph.

Community gardens for sustainable agriculture

The project also introduced community gardens along the restored banks, fostering:

Sustainable agriculture through the use of compost and biopesticides;
Food security by enabling local vegetable production;
Pollution prevention by discouraging harmful activities near the stream.

Community Gardens for Sustainable Agriculture. Credit: Lilia Benzid, OSS.

Raising awareness and mobilizing the community

Educational campaigns, spearheaded by associations and local communities, have increased understanding of key issues:

Encouraging respect for the stream by reducing waste disposal.
Raising awareness of climate change impacts.
Involving all generations in the preservation of the stream.

Inspiring results

Coordinated actions have transformed the Houet stream:

Significant improvement in water quality and the return of species like the sacred catfish.
Stabilized, reforested, and green banks.
A united community committed to sustainable management of the stream.

Rehabilitation work on the Houet stream. Credit: Valentin Tiama.

A model of resilience

The Houet stream is no longer just a waterway; it has become a symbol of ecological, cultural, and spiritual revival, inspiring hope across Burkina Faso.

''Together, we saved the Houet stream. Together, we build a sustainable future.''

President of the association « Sauvons le marigot Houet ». Credit: Lilia Benzid, OSS.

Urgent action for the Houet Stream

Existing interventions by entities such as the Mouhoun Water Agency and the Kou Local Water Committee (CLE) have not covered the entire basin. This underscores the urgent need for action to address the declining water levels, siltation, and pollution caused by unregulated activities on the stream’s banks.

The pilot project financed by GEF and implemented by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory aims to build on previous efforts to reduce water resource degradation, both qualitatively and quantitatively, while contributing to integrated water resource management in the Taoudéni basin in Burkina Faso.

View of the Houet stream. Credit: Apolline Bambara, OSS.

About the project

The NB-ITTAS Pilot Demonstration Project in Burkina Faso

The Kou sub-basin was selected for the pilot demonstrations, as it forms part of the national Mouhoun hydrological basin and the Taoudéni basin extension in Burkina Faso. The Houet stream, part of the Kou sub-basin’s hydrographic network, historically played a central role in the domestic, agricultural, and cultural activities of local communities in Bobo-Dioulasso, the economic capital of Burkina Faso.

Originating in the highlands north of Bobo-Dioulasso, a city with approximately 900,000 inhabitants, the stream flows 25 kilometers through the city, irrigating fertile lands and serving as a gathering place. However, its flow, once consistent, has significantly diminished due to drought, deforestation, and urbanization. Pollution from domestic and industrial waste has turned its banks into dumping grounds, severely affecting biodiversity and agricultural activities.

Women, who once used the stream for domestic tasks such as laundry, have had to adapt to its degradation, losing an important social space in the process. The interconnectedness of surface and groundwater means surface water pollution directly threatens groundwater quality, and vice versa.

For more information, please contact Lilia Benzid: [lilia.benzid@oss.org.tn]

Footnotes

Words by Lilia Benzid, Abdel Kader Dodo, Mohamedou SY, and Apolline BAMBARA. Cover photo: Market gardening on the banks of the Houet stream, irrigated with its waters near Bobo-Dioulasso. Credit: Lilia Benzid, OSS.