ECDD - Water, key to sustainable development

A four-year consortium project implemented by SNV with the NGO World Waternet - ECDD helps strengthen the capacity of institutions to better manage water, sanitation and hygiene services, and agriculture resources. The partnership works through various institutions, including water agencies, local water committees (CLE), communes, and agricultural umbrella organisations. Started in December 2020, the project is financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Burkina Faso with a total value of € 12,450,000.

Challenges

Burkina Faso faces deep challenges in managing its water resources for subsistence and productive use. Based on current knowledge, usable and renewable water resources are estimated at 3.1-3.4 billion m³ of surface water in an average rainy year, compared to less than 2 billion m³ in a drought year. Despite efforts made in recent years, the National Inventory for Water Infrastructure in 2017 found that nearly 34% of the rural population did not have access to potable drinking water. The national access rate for basic sanitation was around 48% in urban areas, and less than 20% in rural areas. Agriculture, which constitutes the main income-generating activity of households in rural areas, faces great production risks due to changing climatic conditions. The reduction and impoverishment of arable land are contributing to heightened insecurity and health challenges, thereby, raising the social and economic vulnerabilities of households.

ECDD, a global objective with multiple impacts

The ECDD project contributes to increasing the resilience of populations in implementation areas by increasing access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, and improving livelihoods. Water and soil conservation, inclusive and sustainable management of water supply services, improvements in rural sanitation, and the promotion of resilient and sustainable family farming are the main outcomes of ECDD.

As the lead partner and overall programme manager of ECDD, SNV is responsible for three work packages/components:

• Improving equitable and sustainable access to WASH in rural areas, applying lessons from SNV’s rural sanitation and hygiene approach.

• Increasing and diversifying agricultural stocks and incomes of rural households.

• Enhancing conflict resolution, and gender and social inclusion practices.

As a co-partner, WWN is responsible for three components:

• Improving the integrated management of water resources by strengthening the capacities of water agencies and local water committees.

• Contributing to the rehabilitation of soils, water quality, and water retention capacity.

• Improving sustainable and inclusive access to basic drinking water supplies in provincial and regional capitals.

ECDD, strategic choices for lasting results

ECDD’s approaches and methods are based on the principles of good governance, social inclusion, institutional, environmental, and financial sustainability. Its implementation approach brings together various stakeholders from the regional, inter-commune, and local levels, and makes local water committees, regional authorities, and local organisations the central actors to bring about the desired change. Households in rural and semi-urban areas are benefiting from ECDD’s success, specifically, vulnerable groups, women and young people. ECDD is working with five water agencies: Cascades, Gourma, Liptako, Mouhoun and Nakanbé, 17 local water committees (CLE), seven communes, and four agricultural umbrella organisations. Conflict resolution, gender and social inclusion are transversal approaches that inform practical implementation and application of context-specific and adaptive solutions.

Tangible results halfway through the project

The ECDD project applies SNV’s Equitable Water Resource Management (EWRM) framework approach in supporting 17 Local Water Committees (CLE). Halfway through project implementation and in partnership with local authorities, 27,000 additional people gained access to water, 10 boreholes were constructed, and three autonomous water supply systems were set up. Through the construction of 1,414 latrines (includes 517 improved latrines), the project also contributed to eliminating open defecation practice in 12 villages. Agricultural production has increased by 30% in ECDD’s intervention areas and has benefitted from sustainable water management systems and agricultural techniques of retaining water and reducing fertiliser losses.

Additional resources

ECDD fact sheet, available in French only.

Media coverage of project launch, in French only: https://lefaso.net/spip.php?article103509 | https://minute.bf/journee-mondiale-de-leau-le-burkina-signe-une-convention-de-8-milliards-avec-la-snv/