The Republic of Senegal is the most westerly state in Africa, on the
shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Apart from the high eastern and
south-eastern highlands most of the country has monotonous plains, which
in an earlier period were drained by large rivers in the centre of the
country. Relic valleys, now devoid of superficial water, occur in the
Ferlo Valley.
Senegal's climate is varied, and the coast is remarkably cool for the
latitude. The Cap Vert Peninsula is particularly breezy. Average
temperatures are in the range 18 oC - 31 oC. The the rainy season is little
more than three months while in comparable latitudes it's somewhat longer.
The Bas Ferlo Pilot Irrigation Project is one of several, Israeli
agricultural demonstration farms in Africa, sponsored by the Centre for
International Cooperation (MASHAV) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in,
cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID).
The project, located in the Louga region in the northwestern part, of the
country, lies some 250 kilometres from the capital Dakar. Once a fertile
agricultural area, today the Louga region suffers the negative effects of
deteriorating climatic conditions, a deterioration of the physical
environment and problems associated with desertification. After decades of
such adverse conditions, most of the region's river beds have dried out;
thus, the area is often referred to as the "Vallées Fossiles", and local
villagers have long since abandoned, their fields.
The Fossil Valley's Regeneration Programme
In order to revitalize this land, the President of Senegal, Mr. Abdou
Diouf, initiated the Fossil Valley Regeneration Programme (FVRP), under
the direction of the Fossil Valley Study and Development Mission (Mission
d'Etude et d'Aménagement Vallées Fossiles - MEAVF), designed to transfer
water from the Senegal River, through a series of dams and canals, to
those zones demonstrating high agricultural potential. The value of the
FVRP lies in the need to make efficient use of enormous quantities of
water (on the order of 10 billion cubic metres per year) which spills into
the sea from the Senegal River. The programme aims to direct this water
inland towards waterways in areas which have dried out after deterioration
of the hydraulic conditions in the Senegal River.
Although 20% of Senegal's GNP comes from agriculture, 60% of the
population is involved in farming, mostly at the subsistence level.
Traditionally, agricultural crops, groundnuts in particular, have been one
of the country's most important sources of income, after phosphates and
fish exports.
Estimates indicate that there are 3.7 million hectares of land in Senegal,
62% of which is cultivated annually. Most of the agricultural production
is dependent on rainfall, with only 4% of arable land being irrigated. On
average, export crops (primarily groundnuts and cotton) consist of 50% of
the area, whereas food crops (millet, rice, sorghum and corn) account for
the remainder. Production tends to fluctuate with precipitation patterns
in each region.
The Louga region is located in a hot and and climate zone with low
rainfall (around 250 mm average annually). There are three main seasons: a
very dry season from March-May, with average temperatures of 36 oC - 40 oC;
a hot and rainy season from June-October, with average temperatures of 30
oC - 37 oC; and a cool to hot and dry season from November-February, with
average temperatures of 28 oC - 35 oC.
The Louga region is a major livestock centre where 55%-75% of the income
originates from animal husbandry. Although not as widely practiced,
agriculture in this area of the country is primarily based on seasonal
rainfed farming. Millet, groundnuts and beans are the main crops being
cultivated.
The demonstration farm
The demonstration farm is one of the MEAVF's projects that lie within the
overall national FVRP programme. The farm, operated by a skilled local
staff and supervised by an Israeli agricultural expert, was created to
study the outcome of crops, seeds, irrigation methods and fertilization as
a function of socio-economic factors specific to the region. The first
step was to create a 14-hectare pilot irrigation plot to guarantee
agricultural output.
The farm's first planting season started in January 1999, and included
such crops as: corn, groundnuts, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, onions,
potatoes, carrots, sweet and hot peppers, melons and watermelons.
Selection criteria for these crops are based on the potential adaptability
of the crop to existing environmental conditions; potential use for
large-scale farming when more regions are developed in the Fossil Valley;
and marketing and export factors. This plot will expand up to 22-hectares
after the first year. There is also the possibility to expand up to
150-hectares depending on future needs, such as an agro-pastoral model.
Main activities
The main activities of project implementation involves:
Introduction and study of improved methods of pressurized irrigation;
Introduction of irrigated crops to test the adaptability and to assess
marketing prospects;
Determining production technologies for specific regional crops, i.e.
choice of varieties, planting periods, fertigation techniques, and pest
and disease management practices;
Demonstration and training in the use of appropriate agricultural
practices for intensive crop cultivation, as well as the dissemination of
technical information and know-how to the local population.
The chosen methods of irrigation technologies provide efficient control of
water use. Although the project focuses on new, advanced activity, project
development is planned as, the future model for larger regional
development programmes.
A large part of the success of the project will include local farmer
participation. Farmers will be trained in various agro-technologies
through on-site training sessions, as well as in their own fields. The
idea is to help prepare farmers for future agricultural roles as
plot-owners using optimized water availability.
The MASHAV-USAID project endeavours to focus on modern agricultural
technologies, promote economic ventures as well as international
cooperation. It reflects Israel's dedication to share with others advanced
technologies, know-how, human resource enrichment and practical
experience, gained in agricultural and rural development.