The water : Resource vital en danger

The united nations water conference brought together, of 22 at 24 mars 2023 At New York, various stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector. This conference is part of the International Decade of Action for Water and Sustainable Development (2018-2028). To show the relevance of the water issue, Gaskiyani Info leafed through a report produced by the National Youth Conference on Climate Change (LCOY17 BENIN).

The study carried out under the coordination of Land and Health Association (LHA) and Women for Water, Climate and Environment (EceauFem) has the major objective of taking stock of water resources in Benin and de facto evaluating the effect of climate change on its availability. “The potential of Benin's waterways, outside the Niger River, is estimated at 3 106 billion m3 per year” can we read. The amount of surface water would be on average at 13.106 billion m3/year while the annual groundwater reservoir recharge rate is estimated at 1,87 milliards of m3, is 163 m3 per hectare. It should be noted that the current use of surface water is very insignificant and only concerns the supply of drinking water to a few towns., livestock watering and irrigation of approximately 9000 hectares of diverse cultures. On the other hand, near 95% of Benin's drinking water supply is provided by groundwater which, just like surface water, are subject to changes in rainfall patterns. However, research has shown that this abundance of groundwater is only relative since in the basement regions (80% of the national territory in the Center and in the North), the groundwater potential is not sufficient to cover long-term needs. “Faced with the problem of climate change, available water resources are increasingly threatened, with risks of socio-economic impacts, high community and environmental level” notes the study. Populations and the agricultural sector suffer most from the horrors of climate change.

The issue of climate change

According to climate projections, from here 2050, the impacts of climate change, in this case, those relating to the decrease in precipitation could lead to a reduction in 40 at 60 % the availability of water resources, further influencing Benin's food production. A decrease in average annual precipitation will likely result in low groundwater recharge and low reservoir filling, and could lead to the emergence of water security issues. So, projections of the effect of climate change on the water resources of the entire Ouémé basin (the largest hydrological basin in Benin) show, for example, that the flow of the Ouémé River should decrease by approximately 6,58 m3/s on the horizon 2050 and by combining 65 projections of 24 climate models, another study showed that the annual flows of the Ouémé River will fall by 3 at 5 % from here 2099. otherwise, it is also expected that from here 2050, a large part of the Ouémé basin would be very vulnerable to rainfall flooding and that the municipalities to the north of the basin, notably Djougou and Ouèssè, will be the most vulnerable to water scarcity given the current state of infrastructure and policies in place. It should be noted that groundwater is an essential resource for the drinking water supply of the population because it is relatively of good quality and less expensive, unlike surface water, the cost of treatment of which is staggering and often out of reach. reach of countries with modest resources such as Benin. As well, seasonal water scarcity due to the effects of climate change, does it affect both groundwater and surface water used for drinking water supply.

Community Impacts

In 2019, according to statistics from the Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network (Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network in French), in low-income countries, unsanitary water sources are responsible for the deaths of six out of 100. In Benin, the share of annual deaths attributed to unsafe water varied significantly from 3 at 5 % in 2019. This high rate reflects a few factors that are : inappropriate access to drinking water on the national territory, the lack of sanitation infrastructure and a water hygiene policy that is not compatible with reality. However, enormous progress has been noted in terms of access to drinking water with the significant improvement of drinking water supply systems in rural areas, as evidenced by the most recent figures which show that the average coverage of drinking water services in rural areas in 2022 amounts to 73% across the country against a rate of 42% in 2017. This, thanks to the implementation of the AQUA-VIE program financed by the World Bank. The same dynamic is observed in urban areas where access to drinking water has gone from 55% in 2016 around 74% in 2020. « Conclusion; 7 Beninese on 10 have secure access to drinking water in urban areas at the national level” reports the National Youth Conference on Climate Change (LCOY17 BENIN). Notwithstanding these advances, a slowdown in the progress made by Benin in recent years for equitable access to drinking water for all, could be observed due to climate change. What could disrupt the availability of water in the hydraulic networks put in place.

Impacts on agriculture

“Out of land, water is the other key resource in agricultural production. The agricultural sector thus becomes the most vulnerable and the most affected by the problems of water resources linked to climate change.. This interdependence of agriculture and water affects food and vegetable production in various ways,” reads the report.. These different manifestations of climatic disturbances have repercussions on agricultural productivity and the level of agricultural income of farmers., resulting in a high prevalence of poverty. Due to climate change, Benin could experience a reduction in 3 at 18% of agricultural production in 2025 and a reduction in the export supply of 25,5 % and increased import demand for 4,9 % on average by 2025. More precisely, according to projections, in the Ouémé basin, the cotton, groundnuts and sorghum should grow better with the reduction in the length of the cropping season expected on the horizon 2030. On the other hand, crops vulnerable to drought, like cassava, yam, corn and rice, will be negatively affected. A slight drop in yield will be observed for legumes (soy and bean) and sweet potatoes. And bref, all income from all crops will be affected.

It should be mentioned that the last United Nations Water Conference in New York, was hailed as a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2030 according to observers. One of the main results of the said Conference is, in fact, the Water Action Program which will identify all voluntary water-related commitments and monitor their progress. 689 are already listed by the Conference Secretariat. For the UN Secretary General, these commitments will set humanity “on the path to a future where water security is assured for each and every one of us”, rejoiced António Guterres at the end of the New York Conference in March 2023. All that remains is to monitor its implementation to achieve the objective set for 2030 which is universal access to drinking water and sanitation.

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