Socio-Economic Uses of The River Oueme: From Human Activity to the Deterioration of a Common Resource (Socio-Economic Uses of the Oueme River: Human Activities Leading to the Deterioration of a Common Resource)

Abstract

The Ouémé River, Benin's main watercourse, is a strategic natural resource for domestic, agricultural, fishing, industrial and ecological uses. This research aims to analyze the anthropogenic actions that are contributing to the deterioration of this watercourse. The qualitative investigations used semi-structured interviews and direct observation as data collection techniques, accompanied by an interview guide and an observation grid, respectively. Through reasoned selection, a sample of thirty-two (32) actors was constituted according to the principles of diversification and saturation. Triangulation, content analysis and the theory of the "tragedy of the commons" were used to process the empirical data. The results show that the Ouémé River is used for fishing, agriculture, livestock farming, river sand mining, river transport, rituals, etc. These different uses of the river, perceived as a common good, accentuate its overexploitation and jeopardize its sustainability. A redefinition of the rules for collective management of the resource under investigation would make it possible to gradually reduce its deterioration.