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Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali

Received: 23 September 2023     Accepted: 20 October 2023     Published: 11 November 2023
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Abstract

Sahel’s largest wetland, the Inner Niger Delta (IND) is highly productive with a biologically diverse ecosystem and fed by seasonal floods. It plays a crucial role in shaping culture and driving local and national economies. Over one million people composed mainly of fishermen, farmers, and breeders that depend on the vitality of these wetlands. Despite the resources that the IND contained, people continue to migrate to other countries. The main objective of this study is to analyze the link between water ecosystem services and the migration of IND’s inhabitants. Specific objectives are to understand the endogen perception of ecosystem services and identify the determinants of migration outside wetlands. Based on recent household surveys including the econometric model, results show that 36.9% of respondents have at least one member who migrated out of IND. The remittances from migrants support 41.2% of respondents and 29.8% of them have the intention to migrate. The determinants of migration intention are gender, household size, land access, employment opportunities in livestock and fishing, submersion practice, soil fertility, peaceful natural resources management, credit access, migrated household members, and remittances from migrants. To limit migration, it is necessary to restore and conserve water ecosystems through innovations in climate change adaptation, integrated water resource management, and people sensitization towards nature-based solutions practices.

Published in International Journal of Agricultural Economics (Volume 8, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11
Page(s) 228-237
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Drought, Ecosystem Services, Household, Wetlands

References
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    Zongo, B., Gado, A. D., Combary, O. S., Diallo, M., Keïta, K., et al. (2023). Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 8(6), 228-237. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11

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    Zongo, B.; Gado, A. D.; Combary, O. S.; Diallo, M.; Keïta, K., et al. Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2023, 8(6), 228-237. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11

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    AMA Style

    Zongo B, Gado AD, Combary OS, Diallo M, Keïta K, et al. Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali. Int J Agric Econ. 2023;8(6):228-237. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11,
      author = {Beteo Zongo and Abdouramane Djibo Gado and Omer S. Combary and Mori Diallo and Karounga Keïta and Patrice Toé and Souleymane Ouedraogo and Thomas Dogot},
      title = {Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali},
      journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
      volume = {8},
      number = {6},
      pages = {228-237},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20230806.11},
      abstract = {Sahel’s largest wetland, the Inner Niger Delta (IND) is highly productive with a biologically diverse ecosystem and fed by seasonal floods. It plays a crucial role in shaping culture and driving local and national economies. Over one million people composed mainly of fishermen, farmers, and breeders that depend on the vitality of these wetlands. Despite the resources that the IND contained, people continue to migrate to other countries. The main objective of this study is to analyze the link between water ecosystem services and the migration of IND’s inhabitants. Specific objectives are to understand the endogen perception of ecosystem services and identify the determinants of migration outside wetlands. Based on recent household surveys including the econometric model, results show that 36.9% of respondents have at least one member who migrated out of IND. The remittances from migrants support 41.2% of respondents and 29.8% of them have the intention to migrate. The determinants of migration intention are gender, household size, land access, employment opportunities in livestock and fishing, submersion practice, soil fertility, peaceful natural resources management, credit access, migrated household members, and remittances from migrants. To limit migration, it is necessary to restore and conserve water ecosystems through innovations in climate change adaptation, integrated water resource management, and people sensitization towards nature-based solutions practices.
    },
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Linking Between Water Ecosystem Services’ Perception and Rural Migration in Sahelian Wetlands: Evidence-based from Inner Niger Delta in Mali
    AU  - Beteo Zongo
    AU  - Abdouramane Djibo Gado
    AU  - Omer S. Combary
    AU  - Mori Diallo
    AU  - Karounga Keïta
    AU  - Patrice Toé
    AU  - Souleymane Ouedraogo
    AU  - Thomas Dogot
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11
    T2  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JF  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JO  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    SP  - 228
    EP  - 237
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3843
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20230806.11
    AB  - Sahel’s largest wetland, the Inner Niger Delta (IND) is highly productive with a biologically diverse ecosystem and fed by seasonal floods. It plays a crucial role in shaping culture and driving local and national economies. Over one million people composed mainly of fishermen, farmers, and breeders that depend on the vitality of these wetlands. Despite the resources that the IND contained, people continue to migrate to other countries. The main objective of this study is to analyze the link between water ecosystem services and the migration of IND’s inhabitants. Specific objectives are to understand the endogen perception of ecosystem services and identify the determinants of migration outside wetlands. Based on recent household surveys including the econometric model, results show that 36.9% of respondents have at least one member who migrated out of IND. The remittances from migrants support 41.2% of respondents and 29.8% of them have the intention to migrate. The determinants of migration intention are gender, household size, land access, employment opportunities in livestock and fishing, submersion practice, soil fertility, peaceful natural resources management, credit access, migrated household members, and remittances from migrants. To limit migration, it is necessary to restore and conserve water ecosystems through innovations in climate change adaptation, integrated water resource management, and people sensitization towards nature-based solutions practices.
    
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Institut of Rural Development and Environmental Sciences, University of Dedougou, Dedougou, Burkina Faso

  • Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, The Hague, The Netherlands

  • Department of Economics and Management, University Thomas Sankara, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

  • Wetlands International Sahel, Bamako, Mali

  • Wetlands International Sahel, Bamako, Mali

  • Institute for Rural Development, University Nazi Boni, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

  • Institute for Environmental and Agricultural Research, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

  • Rural Development and Economic United, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium

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