On July 23, 2026, the Centre Cardinal Paul Zoungrana in Ouagadougou turned into a true crossroads of ideas and commitments. For three days, researchers, policymakers, producers, NGOs, and institutions gathered around a vital theme: territorializing Burkina Faso’s food systems through the watershed approach.
At the heart of this major event organized by Sol Vert, one voice particularly stood out: that of Mr. Hilaire ILBOUDO, representative of the Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA).
A Remarkable Intervention
With passion and clarity, Hilaire ILBOUDO reminded the audience of a too-often overlooked truth: “There can be no food security without water security.”
His intervention captivated participants by showing that water, far from being a mere resource, is the primary factor of production. And to protect it, we must think at the natural scale it has always defined: the watershed.
The Watershed: A Natural Territory of Resilience
Through concrete examples, he explained how the degradation of headwaters leads to more intense droughts, more destructive floods, and inevitably, a food crisis.
His message was clear: to build sustainable food systems, water must be placed at the center of local policies, while strengthening the role of local authorities. These authorities hold powerful levers — planning, land management, land restoration, community mobilization — but must go beyond administrative boundaries to adopt territorial governance based on watersheds.
The GWP-WA did not remain theoretical. Hilaire ILBOUDO showed how the organization already supports countries in the region in implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), mobilizing climate finance, and preparing bankable projects for the Green Climate Fund or the Adaptation Fund.
In other words, GWP-WA makes the watershed an arena of cooperation, investment, and territorial development.
Strong Recommendations
To conclude, five recommendations were put forward:
- Institutionalize food system planning at the watershed scale.
- Strengthen the technical and financial capacities of local authorities.
- Develop innovative financing (payments for environmental services, territorial green funds).
- Consolidate multi-stakeholder governance.
- Protect headwaters as a priority investment.
An Inspiring Vision
The participation of GWP-WA gave the forum a regional and strategic dimension. It reminded everyone that food sovereignty is not only played out in fields or markets, but also in how we protect and manage water — this vital common good.
The Sol Vert forum thus demonstrated that the future of Burkina Faso’s food systems will depend on our ability to think and act at the scale of watersheds, where water naturally shapes the territories of tomorrow.
