This technical assistance tackles water insecurity in a cooperative center called Karusi, in Burundi, by implementing an integrated IoT-based water management system serving 24 cooperatives (720 families). The operation will deploy smart technology combining rainwater harvesting with automated distribution systems both for drinking and irrigation. A key innovation is the development of a user-friendly mobile dashboard/app that provides real-time data on water availability, quality and allocation, creating transparency that will reduce community conflict by around 70 to 80%.
The system integrates water quality control sensors and appropriate treatment technologies to ensure safe drinking water. Automated irrigation components will optimize agricultural water use based on soil moisture data, improving crop yields by 20 to 30% while conserving resources. The digital platform will enable equitable water allocation thanks to objective data and transparent
decision-making processes.
Assistance includes infrastructure assessment and design, system installation, comprehensive training and the establishment of inclusive governance structures with gender-balanced representation. This model creates a replicable blueprint for climate-resilient water management that can be extended to other cooperative centers across Burundi, transforming the way communities adapt to increasing variability of precipitation.