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Table 4 Illustrative quotes of water management strategies used by the communities

From: Building resilience through improving groundwater management for sustainable agricultural intensification in African Sahel

Water measurement

Limiting irrigation

Well improvement strategies

“Through these trainings and information, I learned how to work with well water. Even if there is a water level in the well, I know how to work with that water level. Even though the water level has decreased I know how to work, now I take the increased water level. If I take the increased water level, I know how to work so that the water reaches February–March with my condiments in my garden.”

(203, Tomo, Female Farmer)

“We see the water levels in the wells ourselves, otherwise there was not someone who really measures the amount of water in the wells.”

(210, Tomo, Female Farmer)

“The project has come to tell us to stop using machines in the gardens to water our gardens. In the past we have been using the machines, so the water is drying up fast. Now since then we have left with the advice of the BRAVE project, so since that day we water manually but now there is no more water.”

(202, Tomo, Female Farmer)

“In the past we used water at random. We were drawing water from our gardens, and they came to tell us how to arrange your garden, so that the garden would not waste water. But they came to show how to make a little figure on soils and do it in such a way that, even if you water with, little water, it be enough.” (208, Tomo. Male Farmer)

“It is also possible to get in and remove the mud that is at the bottom of the well to allow the water to rise again.”

(101, Poa, Female Farmer)

“With the support of the BRAVE formation, we started to cement, to maintain our wells well. Also, we put concrete on the surroundings of the well and sometimes we even look for slabs to cover the well… regarding well water, they showed us how to arrange our wells with the covers or either build the edge of the well to prevent runoff water from entering the well.”

(104, Poa, Female Farmer)