Analyzing flood risk governance and strategy prioritization for effective management in Togo, West Africa

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This study analyzed the flood governance systems of the Kara, Plateaux, and Maritime regions in Togo. To this end, a participatory method was employed through group discussions and questionnaires administered during a stakeholder workshop. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify stakeholder perceptions, roles, inter-actor collaboration, contributions to governance, and flood risk management actions. The internal and external factors identified through stakeholder narratives were then organized and analyzed using Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT); Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS); External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS); and Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Strengths (TOWS) matrix tools. This analytical framework provided a structured understanding of governance dynamics and enabled the determination of priority strategies for improved flood governance in Togo. The results revealed that multiple stakeholders intervene in flood risk management and collaborate with one another. However, this collaboration suffers from several limitations, including ineffective information exchange, weak synergy of action, insufficient capacity building, inadequate coordination, lack of resources, poor communication, and limited local ownership of initiatives. These findings require making existing platforms more functional and effective through improved inter-institutional coordination, regular consultation mechanisms, clarified roles and responsibilities, and enhanced information sharing to promote proactive flood governance.