MEdIES is a regional initiative on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), launched in Johannesburg during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002). It is in line with the principles of the UN Decade on ESD (2005-2014) and is being implemented through various educational activities in the Mediterranean countries. MEdIES is coordinated and implemented by MIO-ECSDE (www.mio-ecsde.org). GWP-Med is a key partner in the MEdIES Water agenda.
Key challenges to water security including, for instance, rapid population growth, climate change, and pollution are not bound to specific administrative boundaries. The transboundary cooperation programme was set up to address such critical challenges and promote good governance over shared water courses and aquifers.
New challenges related to water have strongly emerged in the Mediterranean like those linked with increased migration flows due to conflict, social unrest and degradation of natural resources and well as changing consumption patterns. Linked with these, employment challenges, particularly for the younger generation and women, remain central and in need of long term approaches and substantial action.
The IDMP WA carried out a Training of trainers in April 2016 which gathered 20 participants including 5 women from Mali, Burkina and Niger and some regional institutions in West Africa. It was meant to increase the participants’ knowledge on integrated risks management related to drought/ Climate change. After 8 months, a first assessment carried out via a survey through emails has revealed positive impacts for most participants.
M. Bila Compaoré nicknamed Moussa is the chief of the Kogoloweogo association set up since the early 80’s during the revolution period for the reforestation through tree planting in Komki Ipala, 45 km in the west of Ouagadougou. The association involves most of the population of the village of Komki Ipala but is ruled by a group of 21 persons including four women. He is almost 60 but very active and enterprising. “The implementation of this project taught us lots of things that I will personally try to implement in my own field such as making bunches, surrounding walls, land scarification or semi moon to capture rain for the soil”, says Moussa.
The end of the rainy season has brought some very interesting news to farmers working with the Integrated Drought Management pilot project in the Mali central municipality of Gouendo. A field visit carried by the regional Project manager accompanied by the Permanent secretary of CWP Mali set a light encouraging results of the pilot action and the happiness of the beneficiaries.
Following the outcome of the Post - National Consultation on Food Security and Water in Sub- Sahara Africa held in Abuja with relevant agencies and department in the Ministry in - charge of Agriculture on 12th May, 2016, a decision was reached to constitute a working group (WG) that will mid-wife the Nigeria - Country Project (WEFE Initiative).
