La Minute FARM #2 | With producers in the Senegal River Delta
The FARM Foundation went on a mission to Senegal in early July. as part of a project co-financed with the French Development Agency to better understand the issues related to soil fertility in West Africa. Accompanied by SAED (National Company for the Development and Exploitation of the Lands of the Senegal River Delta), three major constraints for producers have been identified :
·Salinization: the accumulation of salt makes some soils almost unsuitable for growing rice and vegetables.
·Hydromorphic soils: waterlogged, often compacted land, which complicates agricultural work and limits plant growth.
·Lack of organic matter: exhausted soils that no longer provide enough essential nutrients to guarantee good yields.
How are producers adapting?
Thibaut Soyez, Project Manager at FARM explains:
" We discuss, we exchange [with the actors on site] to try to identify solutions and alternatives that are available to producers today.. In particular the use of salt-resistant varieties, and the supply of organic matter via livestock. »
To remember
In the Senegal River Delta, agricultural production today depends on adapting to the constraints of salinity, excess water, and organic impoverishment of the soil. This challenge brings producers to adapt their technical routes to maintain yields.
We thank SAED and all the actors on site for their welcome.
