The object of this research is part of the ecological upheavals resulting from the overexploitation of water bodies in African countries in general and those of Benin in particular. It is based on a global perspective, linking the exploitation of water bodies and the conservation of biological diversity, the integrity of natural ecosystems and the improvement of the living conditions of populations. It proposes to study the problem of integrated management of water bodies in a perspective of sustainable development. We hypothesize that “the absence of women in resource management and the loss of traditional knowledge and practices negatively influence a sustainable development strategy.” Finally, we emphasize that “the management of the resources of the lagoon environment without prejudicing human conditions requires a synergy of the rehabilitation of the ecosystem, including the mangrove, of research and the promotion of alternative activities supported by the revaluation of certain traditional knowledge and practices and the genuine integration of women”.

by Emma-Christiane LEITE, Robert KASISI, Peter JACOBS, Peter JACOBS, Faculty of Planning, University of Montreal, Montreal (Qc), Canada