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This 2012 technical report by the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a baseline assessment of livelihood strategies in the Nariarlé watershed of the Volta River Basin in Burkina Faso. Based on community fieldwork conducted in June 2010 across four villages, the report details the practices, yields, and constraints of four primary groups: rainfed farmers, irrigated gardeners, pastoralists, and fishers.

This policy brief examines Agricultural Water Management (AWM) interventions in the Nariarlé watershed of Burkina Faso to alleviate food insecurity and poverty. It evaluates various scenarios—including improved rainfed agriculture, expanded irrigation, and increased reservoir storage—analyzing their impacts on crop yields, water resources, and local livelihoods. The document emphasizes that while AWMs can significantly increase production, their sustainability depends on strengthening the existing, largely informal, institutional networks and coordinating activities across the watershed.