Case 3: Benin: environmental and socio-economic water requirements in the Ouémé valley

• Parallel to SEA: population informs and expresses their priorities in terms of management of the Ouémé delta: data, social and cultural use of rivers and water bodies, relationship between flows and the economic activities of populations 
• Low data context : historical observations from population crucial. Observations vary among groups/uses 
• Social component seems most constraining factor and requires much more water than the ecological components, especially in periods of low water (scarcity of fish, proliferation of diseases, out-migration) 
• Key lesson: truely inclusive assessment and planning highly relevant for sound investments 

Contacts:

Edy Blom, edy.blom iucn.nl, 06- and Stephen Teeuwen, steeuwen eia.nl, 06- 
Michiel Smet, EKN Cotonou