Mr

Small farm of inherited land plots around the village of Thambène Till, in a sparsely populated area inhabited by settled agriculturalists and mainly nomadic pastoralists, halfway between Louga and St. Louis in north-west Senegal.

The problem

Low (av.of under 300 mm) and irregular rainfall which has shown marked decline since the early 1970s;
Sandy soils subject to wind erosion;
Insufficient tree cover resulting from grazing pressure.shifting cultivation and tree felling for charcoal and construction;
Declining yields of crops and fodder; resultant on soil degradation
Inadequate fodder supplies for the number of animals kept;
Gradual breakdown of traditional agricultural land-use pattern and of extensive communal pastoral resource use;
Common practice throughout the region of peanut monoculture resulting in reduced protection for the land and considerably increased wind erosion;
Insecurity of land tenure militates against long-term conservation of the land resources.

The solution

Pioneering action by Mr. Serigne Samb in fencing a 10 hectare field as a fodder reserve for drought years in 1983;
Use of Euphobia live-fencing to protect the plots, reviving traditional fencing practices and land management techniques;
Plot protection allowed natural regeneration of trees, which showed the multi-function benefits of fencing;
Use of the protected area for intensive silvi-agro-pastoral activities, mainly for wood, fuel and fodder production;
Assistance given to the farmer to develop optimum usage based on natural and planted fodder growth and tree harvesting enabled him to become the contact villager for soil conservation and environmental protection and a role model for others roundabout;
Progressive enclosure of the farmers land.

The project achievements

Rehabilitation of the immediate environment;
Increased productivity of the plot by reviving traditional system of land management;
Natural regeneration of tree cover (10 trees/hectare in 1983 to 1,250 in 1995);
Greater income based on production of wood, charcoal, fodder and fruit for sale;
Increased land registration, thus increased "ownership" over resources.

The overall achievements

Demonstration that individual action can succeed in solving land management problems;
Widespread replication in the area resulting from observation of the benefits;
Improved "green" environment.

This farm project was implemented by farmer Serigne Samb with personal funds and technical advice from UNDP/UNSO, Senegal.

Success Stories: Africa