PERCEPTIONS OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES REGARDING THE ISSUE OF INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS IN THE BAYA RIVER (KOUN-FAO DEPARTMENT, NORTHEASTERN CÔTE D’IVOIRE)

Understanding local populations’ perception is essential to developing effective policies for the sustainable management of ecosystems. The Baya River is an aquatic ecosystem whose waters are currently overgrown with large clumps of invasive aquatic plants. To address this ecological problem, this study set out to analyze the perceptions of riverside communities regarding the issue of invasive aquatic plants clogging the surface of the Baya River. To carry out the study, a survey was conducted among residents of three communities along the river. The profiles of the respondents and the percentages of responses regarding the issue of invasive aquatic plants were analyzed. The results revealed that the Baya River is a vital water resource for the residents of Koun-fao, Kouakoukrakro, and Koun-ahounzi, as nearly 61% of those surveyed use water from the river for various purposes. However, nearly half of the respondents (47%) are unaware of the impacts that invasive aquatic plants can have on the river’s water body. The surveyed populations report that they never undertake collective action to combat these plants. Consequently, the issue of invasive aquatic plants should be the subject of awareness campaigns targeting communities and local public authorities to foster a greater understanding of the need for sustainable control of these harmful plants.