Participatory management of the Oursi pond

The Oursi pond, located in northern Sahelian Burkina Faso, is, at 45,000 ha at the end of the rainy season, the only permanent body of water in the region. It is essential to the life and livelihoods of the entire area. It provides drinking water for animals and domestic water for villagers and nomadic communities in the region; it is an excellent grazing area thanks to the presence of a large “bourgoutière” (aquatic grass pasture) and the opportunity for livestock to benefit from a natural salt supplement. Communities grow off-season crops there and gather water lily bulbs and fruits for food. They also catch fish (lungfish) there. It is also an essential stopover for Palearctic birds migrating from northern Europe, with 108 bird species recorded.

This unique ecosystem is threatened by unsustainable land-use practices and recurrent droughts: deforestation and overgrazing lead to erosion, siltation and desertification.

The project’s overall objective is to optimise the availability of water resources in order to improve the wellbeing of local populations and ensure the sustainable conservation of this wetland.