by W. Dareé, J.P. Venot, F. Kizito, B.M. Torou, A. Aduna, P. Zoungrana, C. Le Page, F. Jankowski, K. Snyder, P. d'Aquino, M. Kambou Presented at the Final Volta Basin Development Challenge Science Workshop, September 2013

1. Crossed contributions of two
participatory approaches in Burkina Faso
and in Ghana: example of the project V4
to support IWRM policies
Daré W., Venot J.P , Kizito F., Torou BM, Aduna A., Zoungrana P., Le Page C. Jankowski F., Snyder
K., d’Aquino P., Kanton, Kambou M.,
and the interns: Gumah I., Lasiter K., Ouedraogo I., Sanou K., Siri Y., Sulemana T.
Stawicki S., Walaszek A.,,

2. Quick overview of the V4 project
• One Research question:
How to breach the gap between the rhetoric and the
practices of IWRM in Ghana and Burkina Faso?
• One overall objective :
Support on-going IWRM policy initiatives through multilevel
participatory processes (ComMod approach)

3. V4 Project : Case studies
Burkina Faso
Supporting an existing platform (CLE)
Bougouriba 7 (Mouhoun/Black Volta river basin)
Ghana
Accompanying the emergence of
watershed concerns
“Zebilla” Area (White Volta) (UER)

4. Principles of the ComMod approach
• Natural Resource Management
is complex, dynamic and
collective decision are taken
under uncertainty
– => future is unpredictable
– => simulation to support better
understanding of the situation
(differences & common points)
– Importance of the process rather
than the results
• Multiple points of view are all
legitimate

5. Principles of the ComMod approach
• Model as an
intermediary tool
– Model built with
the different
stakeholders
– Transparency of
process
– Adaptiveness of
the process
Analysis
of the issue
Conception
of a model
Participatory
simulation
Second issue
Tuning of
the model
First issue
Analysis
of the issue
Modification
of a model
Participatory
simulation

6. Steps of the process in BF and Gh
1. Build partnership with
policy makers and
water management
institutions
« What I know about research is that
some people write proposals
somewhere and bring us in only at a
later stage. We don’t know how the
research was started and your inputs
gets limited. It is not easy to
understand if you are not part of it [righ
from the beginning].In this one we are
developping the proposals together
and we know where it is going. When it
comes to implementation we will be in
position to contribute effectively. »
Aaron Aduna, WRC, Ghana
2. Build the participatory
strategy (who, what for,
how?)
Burkina Faso
Operationalization of the
WLC (CLE)
Ghana
Water issues ????

7. 3. The involvement of stakeholders belonging to different
« levels » to define a common issue : MSP/level
« What is a CLE? »
Role, stakes, actions, with
whom, which mandate
Burkina Faso Ghana

8. 4. MSP with all the « levels » of stakeholders
• design the action plan • design a “smaller”
management structure
On the way to…

9. Conclusion… Next steps and crossing
Find common issues to
transform the action plan
into concrete actions
The common difficulties
they may encounter in
the process of designing
the “smaller”
management structure
Burkina Faso Ghana

10. Discussion: V4 was it so
participatory and adaptive?
Pretty grid
7 scales of participation
(Pretty, 1995)
passive participation
participation by providing
information
Participation through consultation
Participation for material incentives
Functional participation
Interactive participation
Self-mobilization
- people participate in joint
analysis, which leads to
action plans and the
creation or strengthening of
local institutions.
- Use of interdisciplinary
methodologies that seek
multiple perspectives and
use systematic and structured
learning processes.
- But these groups have
control over local
decisions, so that people
have an interest in
maintaining structures or
practices

11. Many thanks to
Our Institutional partners (PAGIRE & WRC)
and all the Members of the
• Communities (Zongoiri, Widnaba, Bansi, Binduri, Nafkuliga, Binaba,
Mognori and Bazua )
• Communities in the provinces of Dano, Ioba and Bougouriba,
• Districts Assembly of Bawku M, Zebilla, Binduri),
• Water Agencies (Mouhoun, Nakambé, WVBB),
• South West Region and Upper East Region
• National, regional and provincial sectoral ministries
• and members of the vision teams
williams.dare@cirad.fr
Green Research Unit,
CIRAD