Senegal
FAO implemented the project KnoWat – Knowing Water Better from 2018 to 2022, with support from the Government of Germany. As a predecessor to ScaleWat, KnoWat worked to strengthen water governance and improve water resources management in Rwanda, Senegal and Sri Lanka. Through water accounting, water tenure assessments, geospatial analysis and stakeholder engagement, the project helped governments, local communities and water users better understand how water is accessed, allocated and managed in contexts of increasing scarcity and climate pressure.
In Senegal, the project focused on the Senegal River Basin and Delta, a strategic agricultural region where irrigation supports the production of rice, vegetables and other food crops. The area faces increasing pressure from climate change, population growth, competing water demands and uncertainty regarding access rights to water resources.
Key results
- Conducted water tenure assessments to better understand access rights, water use practices and allocation mechanisms.
- Improved knowledge of surface and groundwater withdrawals through detailed inventories and field assessments.
- Established a geospatial database based on remote sensing data gathered through FAO's WaPOR portal, used to assess agricultural water consumption and water productivity by interpreting satellite images in the Senegal River Basin.
- Generated evidence to support more informed water governance and resource allocation decisions.
- Strengthened cooperation among government agencies, producer organizations and local stakeholders.
Stories from the field: poems and a project for peace
Along the Senegal River, communities have long depended on the river for fishing, farming and daily life. KnoWat documented how traditional practices, cultural values and local governance systems interact with modern challenges such as drought, floods and growing competition for water. The project helped bring these perspectives into discussions on water governance, contributing to more inclusive and equitable approaches to water allocation.
