Levers for adaptation and mitigation
In order to address the multiple pressures on water resources and support community initiatives, Join For Water and its partners are implementing nature-based solutions that are adapted to local realities.
Nature-based solutions are strategies to harness the power of nature to deliver benefits to communities and the environment. These solutions include a variety of actions that work with natural processes such as wetland restoration for flood protection, reforestation for soil and water conservation, and mangrove restoration for coastal protection. By supporting these efforts, Join For Water aims to strengthen the resilience of communities and their environment.
Solutions for water regulation
Join For Water supports a range of nature-based solutions aimed at restoring ecosystems and improving community resilience across various regions. In the floodplains of the Mono River (Benin) and Semliki River (Uganda), we are implementing solutions focused on flood protection and water access. The restoration of floodplains in Benin and Uganda helps regulate the water cycle by recharging aquifers and acting as natural sponges, limiting floods and droughts and improving access to groundwater for supplementary irrigation during the dry season. Restoration improves soil fertility and restores habitats for fish, supporting local livelihoods. You can read more about these specific actions in this article (Making space for rivers | Join For Water).
Solutions for soil and water conservation
Reforestation and agroforestry are part of Join For Water’s portfolio in almost all partner countries. These include reforesting the Lodouko Forest (Benin), reforestation of Andean ecosystems with native species in Peru and Ecuador, conserving sacred forests in Dangbo (Benin), and establishing agroforestry plots with cocoa and fruit trees in DRC and Uganda. Reforestation helps stabilize water cycles by improving soil infiltration and reducing runoff and erosion, ultimately enhancing the availability and quality of water resources and improving biodiversity.
Reforestation is often combined with other methods to prevent soil erosion. In Mali, for example, this includes building trenches and dykes to direct water flow and digging half-moon shaped ditches to capture rainwater and reduce runoff. In Burundi, marking contour lines on the land helps slow down water as it flows downhill, preventing soil loss. And in the DRC, erosion control dykes protect a hospital and homes in Idiofa.
Increased soil fertility
These combined actions help protect the land, improve water retention, and support healthier ecosystems. In Uganda, communities already notices that water and soil conservation measures are increasing soil fertility. Diversification of farms through agroforestry and beekeeping is providing new sources of income, enabling essential needs such as children’s education to be financed. Similarly, agroecological practices have brought sustainable income to communities in Idiofa in the DRC. And in Burundi reduced erosion and improved agricultural productivity have reportedly enabled cultivation in the dry season.
Solutions for multiple benefits
Join For Water also supports mangrove restoration in Benin as a powerful nature-based solution. Mangroves provide a wide range of benefits: they protect coastal areas from storm surges and flooding, stabilize shorelines, and improve water quality by filtering pollutants. By restoring mangroves and planting fast-growing trees for sustainable charcoal production, we are addressing both environmental needs and local economic development. Additionally, communities are actively involved in clearing canals that are often blocked by overgrown vegetation, which helps improve water flow and supports the overall health of the ecosystem.
The cleaning of agricultural canals and drains has increased the amount of arable land, improved soil quality, enabled supplementary irrigation during the dry season and increased agricultural and fishery yields. These actions have also improved navigation, reduced the risk of flooding and strengthened community organisation, particularly through the strong involvement of women.
“The community organisation for maintenance work at the Hondji-Bèmbè site is a great success because this canal was one of the least maintained canals at the start of the programme. It is now one of the best organised canals. Another success is the involvement of women in the cleaning and maintenance work on the site, which is rare in the valley,” says Raymond ATINVONON, farmer and secretary of the technical committee at the Hondji-Bèmbè site in Benin.
Climate resilience through nature-based solutions
As climate change continues to intensify, nature-based solutions offer a critical pathway for building resilience in vulnerable communities. By restoring ecosystems and harnessing natural processes, Join For Water and its partners are not only addressing immediate environmental challenges, such as water scarcity, soil erosion, and flood risks, but also contributing to long-term climate mitigation and adaptation. These solutions, from reforestation and wetland restoration to mangrove rehabilitation, help sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and regulate water cycles, while supporting local livelihoods and food security. More than just environmental interventions, these initiatives strengthen social ties, empower communities, and promote sustainable resource management. In a world facing mounting climate pressures, nature-based solutions represent a powerful, holistic approach that integrates environmental protection, community resilience, and sustainable development.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank our colleagues, partners, and especially the community members whose voices and experiences have shaped this article.