Water resources in Mali’s Inner Niger Delta: Actions to promote peaceful governance

The Inner Niger Delta is home to over two million people working in agriculture, livestock herding, and fishing. People depend on the water from the Delta for food security, livelihoods and daily life.

Climatic stressors like drought, the associated decline in rainfall and increased flooding negatively affect already vulnerable communities, and current predictions show the situation will worsen for future generations.

Over the past three decades, the area has seen violent conflicts resulting in serious injury and death, often caused by disputes over land, pastures, and fisheries. Ineffective and discriminatory water governance threatens human security and is a catalyst for conflict. 

Our policy brief, produced with the Water, Peace and Security partnership, analyses traditional and modern ways of managing water-related conflicts, their limitations and takes a critical look at alternative models presented to communities by armed groups. It also provides recommendations for concrete action to promote the peaceful governance of water resources in the Delta.