Gestion communautaire des ressources naturelles au Bénin (Afrique de l’Ouest) : le cas de la vallée du Sitatunga
Bénin, a country in West Africa is actually facing the destruction of its wetlands, especially those in the southern part of the country. The wetlands which their richness in natural resources are important for both human and wildlife are also threatened by many factors. The most important threat is...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Université des Antilles
2009-04-01
|
| Series: | Études Caribéennes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/etudescaribeennes/3630 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Bénin, a country in West Africa is actually facing the destruction of its wetlands, especially those in the southern part of the country. The wetlands which their richness in natural resources are important for both human and wildlife are also threatened by many factors. The most important threat is population pressure. Although recognised as Ramsar sites, the destruction continues. In 1995, the Government has decided to create community protected areas in this part of the country. The objective of this research is to understand the main challenges around the community management of wetlands. The case of the Sitatunga valley, in south Bénin has been studied. The methodology used consisted on interviews with stakeholders during a period of 3 months. The results show that, although the good intentions of community management, its practical application is not easy, and reveal many difficulties in its practical application. The site although rich in biodiversity and used as refuge for several species, is regarded as useless even harmful by the bordering populations, which are more worried by their poverty state. The traditions and values formerly allotted to the wetlands almost disappeared and individualism is growing. It is important to take into account all these factors to truly hope to preserve these wetlands. The study shows that management of the wetlands on a Beninese scale is also difficult. Indeed, the government through its structures struggles to coordinate its activities. It is the same for NGOs. The situation is accentuated by the poor relations between NGOs and government institutions which consider each other more as adversaries than as partners. This affects the effectiveness of the undertaken activities. It is then important for all the stakeholders (NGOs, Government and local communities) to install a partnership to help achieve community management objectives. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1779-0980 1961-859X |