The Role and Drivers of Cooperation in Managing Hydraulic Infrastructures for Sustainable Mangrove Rice Production in Guinea-Bissau

Mangrove Swamp Rice is a unique labour-, time-, and knowledge-intensive farming system across West Africa requiring a complex water management through dikes, canals, and pipes. Cooperation is crucial in the socio-spatial and temporal organisation of water management, helping mitigate risks like saltwater intrusion, prolonged submersion, and drying of paddies, particularly intensified by climate change. We adopted a mixed-methods approach integrating grounded theory with case study design and multi-level analysis and employed several tools, such as social network analysis, a land tenure register, a digital elevation model, and a machine learning model. This research strategy allowed us to gain an in-depth understanding of the complex socio-ecological system in water management. Our study examined the benefits of cooperation for water infrastructure management, highlighting its critical role in routine monitoring and repair, specialised technical advice, and annual belt dike maintenance. Within the large array of factors influencing cooperation, key drivers, such as spatial proximity and farmers’ technical knowledge, labour ethics, and fame, emerged and are discussed. Our findings provide important insights into the social organisation of “traditional” societies and offer valuable guidance for development practitioners, emphasising the importance of involving reputed farmers for sustainable socio-technical adaptation.