Meeting with Adama on Water Issues in Burkina

On my last night in Burkina I was finally able to meet with Robins contact who is on the National Committe for dams in Burkina. He was a very kind man with smiling eyes and he invited me to his home on the outskirts of Ouaga for a great discussion. I thought it would be an interesting experience to talk with him about water issues in the country; especially water access and santitation.

Currently he said about 10 percent of the population has access to clean and safe water nationwide with 40 percent in Ouagadougou. Most people are collecting water from wells that have a large amount of contamination with schistosomiasis; guinea worm; giardia; etc:

The solution is obviously investment from the public sector in water but when the public sector fails at this what is a country to do with 46 percent of the population in extreme poverty according to the UN index. Currently there are projects with the World Bank by adding Ventilated Improved Pits (for the wiki link click here ) They are essentially composting toilets with gas chambers and are being implemented in many schools. Grants are being given to provide the slabs and chimney.

Most of the water usage in going for 1st irrigation 2nd water supply and third for fishing and 4th electricity . From October or November to June the rivers do not flow well and there is a natural drought. There is a need for damming so the people can continue to farm and live with 3.5 million hectares cultivated in the country.

When we discussed solutions to some of the problems of access to water issues he said education of the people plays a major and often neglected role. The people need to know how to prepare water for drinking and there is also a cultural component of use. The people must demand this of the government. When I probed about some of the negative consequences of damming he said that this is only an issue with the people in more developed countries. The people here strive to live and water is how they live.

Thanks Robin for the wonderful chance to meet with him.