The first phase was implemented from July 2010 to December 2012 by four riparian communes: Porto-Novo, Sèmè-Podji, Aguégués and Adjarra. At the operational level, the IWRM action was carried out by the Nokoué Intercommunal Eco-Development Council (CIED), the coordination structure of the intermunicipal association. The aim was to develop the capacities of the actors and to conduct the appropriate advocacy to establish the required IWRM framework and tools. For phase 2 of the IWRM pilot action Lagoon of Porto- Novo (2013-2015), CWP-Benin focused in particular on the vote of the framework law on fishing and aquaculture, in the context of the finalisation of the Master Plan for Water Development and Management (SDAGE) of the Ouémé Basin and the elaboration of the Delta Plan. It seemed to the stakeholders that this law could facilitate the mobilisation of the investments necessary to restore and establish sustainable management of the ecosystem.
The awareness-raising activities carried out by CWP Benin and CIED-Nokoué during the first phase of the pilot action, inviting the implementation of sectoral regulations in harmony with the basic principles of IWRM enshrined in the law on water management, led the stakeholders in the fisheries sector to become aware of the importance of the synergies to be built for the management of Benin’s water bodies and the Porto-Novo lagoon in particular. For national actors, particularly those in the fisheries sector, this pilot action was an opportunity to speed up the vote on the framework law on fisheries and aquaculture, the drafting process for which had begun in 2002 and was struggling
to reach a conclusion.
CWP-Benin and CIED Nokoué’s advocacy was conducted in collaboration with the DGEau, the Fisheries Directorate (D-Pêches) and the Departmental Directorate
of Water and Energy (DDMEE) of Ouémé- Plateau. The following activities marked out the advocacy process:
- Inventory of the actions carried out by the Ministry of Fisheries and the existing blockages;
- Identification of decision-makers, interests, and alliances;
- Signature of a collaboration agreement between CWP-Benin and D-Fisheries;
- Identification by CWP-Benin of opportunities to influence legal processes;
- Definition of an advocacy strategy;
- Lobbying of CWP-Benin with MPs, particularly with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the National Assembly’s planning Commission in charge of studying the draft law;
- Holding several working sessions between CIED Nokoué and the D-Fisheries to prepare a visit to the lagoon by MPs and the relevant parliamentary administration (design and distribution of an information
sheet by CWP-Benin);
- Organisation of a field visit to the lagoon in 2014 for MPs, including an exchange with users;
- Holding a workshop to inform MPs about the content, innovations, and added value of the draft framework law in 2014 in Grand Popo, following the field visit.
CWP-Benin and D-Fisheries convinced the MPs of the need to conduct a comparative study of the draft framework law and the 2010 water management law. The presentation of this cross-analysis of the two texts enabled the workshop participants to understand the need to ensure that the draft framework law on fisheries and aquaculture currently under study is consistent with the water law that has already been voted on and promulgated.
On the recommendation of the deputies, the D-Fisheries asked the CWP-Benin to revise the explanatory memorandum for the vote on the draft framework law. Following this work, the CWP-Benin took part in the work of the committee with the deputies for the study of the draft framework law in order to provide them with additional information. This allowed the study of the draft framework law to proceed smoothly in the plenary session of the National Assembly. The advocacy led to the vote on the draft framework law on fisheries and aquaculture in the Republic of Benin on 6 June 2014.