Selection and characterisation of NETSSAF- regions

Prepared by:

Task leader: Dr. Siméon Kenfack (CREPA-Burkina Faso)
WP leader: Ms. Waltraud Keipp  and Mr. Moussa Drabo (BOATA-Mali)

1.1 Introduction

This task started at month 1 with the pre-identification of the potential regions to be assessed in the following tasks of the work package 2, in order to select the typical study cases. The scanning of the potential settlements has been performed by regions: BOATA and CREPA in Region A, UAA and MTM in Region B and KNUST, CEPAPE and Ville-de-SYA in Region C. Each member of the tasks had designed its strategy at the beginning of the working period, based on a common questionnaire provided by the task 1.1. Municipalities, rural associations of women and indigenous, rural cooperatives, local, regional and national authorities, among many other actors were identified and schematised in a data base, in order to create a dissemination platform. The report elaborated by the task lists the complete assessment of the potential regions and localities. Amongst other things the collaboration of GTZ was needed for the implementation of the report.

1.2 Objectives

   General objective

•  To collect and systemise relevant information regarding the current sanitation of peri- urban and rural areas in West Africa, in order to identify typical settlements for the designing of appropriated sanitation options.

   Specific objectives

• To select potential study population/areas in rural and peri-urban areas in West Africa.
• To assess selected rural and peri-urban settlements with no access to improved sanitation according to the criteria designed.
• To classify the rural and peri-urban study cases in typical settlements.

2. Methods

On the basis of an orientation chart provided by task 1.1 “Multidisciplinary criteria for evaluation and classification of peri-urban and rural settlements with no access to improved sanitation”, a data-gathering sheet (appendix 1) was produced, allowing to collect data in the whole region. This information is provided for 11 countries of the three zones (A, B and C as defined below) by the NETSSAF local partners in West Africa according to the following table:
The regions are grouped as follows:

• Region A: Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Equatorial Guinea
• Region B: Senegal, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
• Region C: Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo and Bissau Guinea

Fig. 1 Distribution of the site in different regions

You can find in this table a distribution of countries/site with information about their religion.

For more information about the Criteria of evaluation of rural and peri-urban settlements in West Africa see this PDF file!

3. CONCLUSION

All 24 sites investigated appeared to be predominantly drier than expected. The standard of living and literacy level of the population in the selected areas are very low, as revealed by the applied criteria. Generally, the profile of all the settlements shows a lot of similarities, with major differences occurring only in demographic and cultural aspects. The sanitation practice is dominated by open defecation and pit latrines, with limited use of sewers and septic tanks. The profiles reveal that there is a need to create awareness and stimulate demand for low cost sanitation systems in rural and peri-urban settlements of West Africa. Most importantly, the study suggests that any activities relating to implementation of low cost sanitation systems in the region should focus on upgrading existing facilities to match not only the current cultural and social practices but also the resource and skills level of the communities.