The project for West and Central Africa was established in 1992 in Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso with support from UNESCO and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France.

In West and Central Africa studies have shown a growing risk of extreme events (excess rain and temperature, lack or scarcity of rain, etc.) with the advent of global warming of the planet, but which is not without consequences for the capacities of production systems and water resources (Sidibe et al., 2018, 2020; Amoussou et al., 2020). 

 Changes in precipitation and temperature, as well as non-linear effects on humidity, evapotranspiration and soil, affect the quantity and quality of water resources, agriculture, fishing and livestock (Amoussou, 2010; IPCC, 2013) and therefore on the life of the local population.

It is important to accentuate studies on hydrological standards, intensity, duration and frequency (IDF) of storms, cold or heat waves on the one hand, the increase of the extent of regions affected by drought and unexpected floods. 

For overcome these hydrological catastrophic events, the Friend AOC network with the support of the Research Institute for Development (IRD) has written and submitted a GDRI project entitled: "Hydrological Standards in West Africa and Power station for a better design of hydraulic structures”. 

Main research topics :

• Hydrological balance and  frequency of extreme events
• Water levels in the lakes and modes of resource use in the developed sites (dams, safety of river water)
• Gendered management of the resource.