Overview of the project

In Benin, the development of water resources remains a major concern due to the anarchic and uncontrolled multiplication of invasive species, including one of the most widespread invasive macrophytes in the world: the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). In eight months, ten water hyacinth plants can generate 655,330 new plants. The invasion of water bodies by water hyacinth generates multiple negative impacts:

• On biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems: atmospheric pollution during anaerobic decomposition in the water emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG); endangers the lake’s halieutic biodiversity; changes the waters’ physical and chemical properties and the overall environment; increases sedimentation; causes flooding and soil erosion;
• On economic activities: nuisances for fishing (reduction of the presence of fish, obstruction of fishing nets); reduction of income for local populations; threatens agricultural production (obstruction of irrigation canals and the drainage system); and
• On the health of the population: hinders river navigation (reduced navigation possibilities, accidents) and creates a favourable environment for mosquitoes encouraging the development of diseases.

JEVEV has developed an economic channel for the sustainable use of water hyacinths collected by local residents. After several years of research on the invasive species at the Abomey Calavi Ecological Laboratory, the JEVEV team discovered that by combining them with neem cake it is possible to obtain a product capable of naturally enriching the soil, while sustainably keeping harmful insects away. This innovative compost, called Magic Compost, has a dual purpose: it contributes to environmental preservation by reducing the effect of ozone layer depletion caused by agricultural chemical inputs and improves productivity of agricultural areas used for market gardening. This initiative will therefore make it possible to improve hyacinth collection productivity, increase the quantities of compost produced, improve the quantity/quality of market garden produce, and finally increase prices obtained by market gardeners.

The innovative water hyacinth collection and recovery activity has a triple purpose:

• Regeneration of land through transformation into organic fertiliser (compost);
• Promotion of renewable energy via transformation into coal briquettes and organic fertiliser (compost) use; and
• Safeguarding of the aquatic ecosystem and water quality by removal of this invasive species.

Launched in two pilot villages, the initiative has spread to ten villages in the valley and in some forty villages JEVEV also runs sessions to train 140 women and 100 young people in the techniques of making Magic Compost from water hyacinth (through the World Bank’s Framework Programme to Support Agricultural Diversification).

This initiative has already received more than twenty awards at the national, regional and international level, the latest of which was at the COP23 in Bonn, Germany followed by an international competition in Italy.

Finally, thanks to the financial support of Prophetic Economy, the water hyacinth valorisation project has been granted a new component aiming to improve supplying towns’ market garden production by capitalising on the techniques of production and use of water hyacinth compost.