Hydropower Generation in West Africa
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Overview
Across West Africa, millions depend on hydropower for electricity yet climate change and land degradation are quietly threatening the dams that power their lives. A research project spanning Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Senegal is using ensemble machine learning to decode how shifting land use and changing climate patterns are impacting hydropower generation across four critical dams delivering the insights policymakers need to keep the lights on.
By modelling the complex relationship between land use change, climate variability, and water availability, the project gives energy planners actionable, data-driven forecasts for sustainable hydropower management. Built on local knowledge shared across all four pilot sites, the models are grounded in on-the-ground reality not just satellite data. Direct participation from women's associations further ensures that social equity is woven into regional energy planning from the start.
The result is a smarter, more resilient approach to managing one of West Africa's most critical renewable energy sources. Policymakers gain early warning of potential power shortages, communities gain a voice in energy decisions, and the region gains a scalable model for navigating the climate-water-energy nexus before it reaches crisis point.