Vote for Our Blue Deal Project in Burkina Faso and Help Us Secure €5,000

Good news: our Blue Deal project in Burkina Faso has been nominated for the NWB Award 2026. With your vote, we have the opportunity to win €5,000 in prize money, which will be used directly to fund additional project activities.

The project is being implemented by Blue Deal Burkina Faso, with World Waternet among the implementing partners. The nomination recognises two nature-based solutions that help retain water more effectively in an area severely affected by drought, erosion and climate change.

Knowledge Exchange Between Burkina Faso and the Netherlands

In the Dori region, vetiver grass has been planted along riverbanks to reduce erosion and improve water quality. In the Cascades region, small stone dams have been constructed to retain rainwater for longer periods and prevent soil erosion. These measures help ensure that more water remains available for communities, agriculture and nature.

The project also demonstrates how knowledge exchange works in both directions. Water professionals from Burkina Faso and the Netherlands learn from one another. While Burkina Faso benefits from Dutch expertise in integrated water management, Dutch water authorities gain valuable insights from the practical solutions applied in extremely dry conditions.

Ewoud de Jong Posthumus, Administrative Client at Waternet and Project Manager at World Waternet, explains:

If we win the NWB Award, we would like to use the prize money to provide additional seeds for a local tree nursery where female entrepreneurs and internally displaced people are employed. These seeds will be used to grow vetiver grass and nitrogen-fixing trees, which will then be used by Burkinabè water authorities and local water committees for reforestation, riverbank protection and erosion control. In this way, we are investing not only in a greener and more resilient landscape, but also in a stable source of income for families who need it most. To me, this project demonstrates that sustainable water solutions are most powerful when they also contribute to better prospects for people.

Help Us: Vote in Under a Minute

Casting your vote takes less than a minute, but it could make a significant difference. Winning €5,000 would enable us to carry out additional activities within the project and further increase its impact. By voting, you can easily support a project that is making a real difference at the local level.

How Do I Vote?

1. Click this link:
   NOMINEE | Holding water, sharing knowledge: Burkina Faso and the Netherlands working together on climate resilience
2. Scroll down and enter your name and email address.
3. Important: Confirm your vote via the confirmation email from NWB and that's it. Thank you in advance for your support!

To Be Continued

The projects were carried out in 2025 under the Blue Deal programme by four Dutch and five Burkinabè water authorities, working together with local water committees and knowledge partners. The measures are currently being monitored. The aim is to reduce erosion, improve water retention and enhance water quality.

The knowledge gained through the project is being shared with other water authorities in Burkina Faso so that the approach can be applied more widely in the future.

What Is the Blue Deal?

Dutch water authorities collaborate with water partners around the world. One of the flagship programmes of Dutch Water Authorities is the Blue Deal. Its goal is to provide 20 million people worldwide with access to sufficient, clean and safe water.

Employees of AGV are involved in several Blue Deal partnerships, including projects in Ethiopia, Palestine, Kenya, Ghana and Peru. The programme runs until 2030.

What Is the NWB Fund?

The NWB Fund supports international cooperation projects led by Dutch water authorities. The fund invests in innovative solutions to global water challenges, with a particular focus on climate adaptation, nature-based solutions and collaboration between water professionals.

Each year, the fund presents the NWB Award to the most inspiring project.