Modeling Sustainable Agriculture in Niaye, Senegal

Jun 05, 2023

Around 80% of Senegal's horticulture is produced in the Niayes region, making it a hub for national agricultural activity. However, Mbene Diakhate, a young Senegalese woman pursuing her master's degree in plant biology, observed the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in Ndiaye agriculture and the failure to follow technical itineraries for production, harvesting, and storage. The resulting chemical residue in the produce reduced their quality and quantity as they were more perishable, which created a supply gap in the country's fruit and vegetable needs. Her vision was to set up an agroforestry farm in Niayes that offered quality fruits and vegetables free of chemical inputs and would also serve as a space for exchange and training on sustainable agroforestry practices in the area.   

Mbene was a graduating member of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs' 2020 class, and USADF awarded her a US$10K grant to support the startup of her passion project, SOPROVED SUARL. Using these funds, Mbene acquired the necessary infrastructure and equipment to set up an agroforest farm, such as a water tank, seedlings for trees and crops, gardening equipment, and organic fertilizer. The grant also funded capacity-building training for her team in marketing, organic gardening, and other skills and provided technical and operational assistance relevant to their setup, including agroforestry consultations.   

By the end of this project in 2021, SOPROVED SUARL had planted over 500 trees, developed an organic agroforestry system, installed a solar irrigation system and a tree nursery, and added two people to their staff team. In addition, Mbene also executed two environmental training courses in nearby schools, sensitizing 100 students on the importance of protecting the environment and training them in seedlings and tree plantations. Since then, Mbene has continued to work towards making her agroforest farm a model for healthy and sustainable agriculture in the Niayes area by working with neighboring smallholder farmers.   

This project embodies the benefits of a multifaceted approach to development by improving environmental conservation, raising community awareness, and sharing knowledge. Mbene, through her work with SOPROVED SUARL, is making a difference in improving agricultural practices and product quality in the Niaye area and, by extension, the rest of Senegal.