Innovative approach to build a “no regret” framework for reinforcing agricultural water resilience under climate risks and change in Burkina Faso
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
ISSN: 1756-8692
Article publication date: 9 January 2017
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose, for the very first time in Burkina Faso, a “no regret” reference tool to improve policies and processes which could strengthen agricultural water resilience under climate risks and change for sustained food security. Such a framework consists of five pillars derived from the agricultural water vulnerability analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The method combined a new designed tool “ClimProspect”, adapted to the Sahelian climatic context, participatory and analogue approaches.
Findings
Innovative “no regret” framework to overcome current and future climate risks on agricultural water requirements has been built.
Research limitations/implications
The paper proposes a new way to assess vulnerability and build resilience for a given system and brings climate and disaster risks together. In fact, in the country, disaster and climate risks are closely associated.
Practical implications
The proposed measures will reinforce water security under climate variability and change and disaster risks, boost the farmers’ participation in water governance and secure the adaptation investment for the long term.
Social implications
Implementing the proposed measures should provide farmers with agricultural water needs at any time over the year, having access to social protection and sustainably increase their food security.
Originality/value
Method used explicitly allows for paying attention, at the same time, to climate variability and change, disaster risks and social issues. The “no regret” framework is a practical secured tool for policy makers and planners, and it gives them a new way to secure sustainable water requirements.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) for giving a PhD research Excellence Fellowship to the lead author. They would like to thank National Meteorological and hydrological Services of Burkina Faso and Volta Basin Authority for providing the hydroclimatic and hydrological data for free of charge. The authors are also grateful to Dr Bruno Barbier from CIRAD for his help and assistance. They are also grateful to stakeholders, especially the experts, decision makers and the farmers’ communities, to take great interest in this research. The study was carried out in Burkina Faso, where the first author was hosted by the Institute d’Application et de Vulgarssation des Sciences (IAVS).
Citation
Gahi, N.Z., Dongo, K., Koudou, A. and Badolo, M. (2017), "Innovative approach to build a “no regret” framework for reinforcing agricultural water resilience under climate risks and change in Burkina Faso", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 68-86. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-11-2015-0154
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited