The Sahara and Sahel Observatory, with the Adaptation Fund support and in collaboration with the MBA and the GWP-WA, regional executing partners, organized a hybrid-mode regional consultation workshop on March 28, 2023 in Cotonou, as the last step of the consultation process initiated with the Mono basin stakeholders from March 20, 2023.
All stakeholders of the water, environment, agriculture, private sector and civil society organizations of Benin and Togo took part in the meeting during which the project development process, its objective, components as well as the expected results and budget, were explained to the participants.
Moreover, the meeting made it possible to present the results of the field missions and consultations with local communities, local authorities and state actors in both countries, as well as the first results of the thematic studies that will be annexed to the project document.
Besides, the participants took the workshop to discuss the climate change related floods and the criteria for selecting the potential project intervention sites.
The project activities include the establishment of an early warning system for flood management in the Mono River basin, the sustainable management of water resources, the development and restoration of degraded lands, forests and watercourses, the updating of wetland management plans, the development and promotion of income-generating activities, as well as awareness-raising and capacity building activities.
Finally, the participants had the opportunity to discuss and validate the institutional arrangements agreed upon by the stakeholders.
The workshop came up with recommendations on the measures to be taken for land security, taking into account the criteria related to drought and water stress, especially at the upstream part of the basin, the transhumance issues and the establishment of a grievance system. The recommendations put special focus on reviewing the infrastructure sizing standards for a more sustainability and effectiveness in a climate change context.