Groundwater Exploration for Refugees’ Water Supply in Semi-arid Rural Area of Ferke (Cote d’Ivoire)

The aim of this project is to carry out research activities that will lead to the construction of two drinking water boreholes for the benefit of refugees and local populations of Nioronigué (Ouangolodougou) and Togoniéré (Koumbala) villages, located in the Tchologo region of which regional capital is Ferké.

The team is using innovative and multidisciplinary research approaches including but not limited to geophysics, hydrogeology, geology, hydrology, environment, remote sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS) by using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), piezometry, microtectonics, and rock geophysics to name a few. This work will train 150 University of Man students, drill two productive wells, reduce borehole drilling failure rate from 33 to 5 percent, resulting in water security for refugees in Nioronigué and Togoniéré.

UNSDGs Addressed

SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 3: Good Health, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 6: Clean water for all, and SDG 10: Reduced inequalities.