Yamoussa Agroforestry Estate

Country:

Site: Yamoussa, Kedougou

Project
Timeline

2020

- 2025

Primary sector

project cost

5,627,000f CFA

($10,129.61 USD)

People impacted

40 Directly

128 Indirectly

UN Sustainable Development goals

Project Overview

When Maodo arrived in Yamoussa in January 2020, he organized meetings with the community. He actively listened to their desires, which included creating employment opportunities and a financing structure for agricultural work, ensuring proper sanitation at local markets, and securing financial independence for women. With these large requests, the community unanimously prioritized one goal: achieving food security in Yamoussa through creating a fully functional agroforestry farm (tree and shrub farming near other crops for a myriad of natural and social benefits).

To accomplish this goal, GIE members and Djigui Sembé provided the cash contribution while other community members provided the in-kind contribution. With the funds, the community originally planned to enclose a hectares (100 acres) of land with a fence, create a water well, and install two water basins and a solar-powered water pump. Ultimately, however, the community planted hedges spanning 150 m (492.13 ft). The community made this decision because they believed that the additional shrubs would contribute to their farming goals which are increasing crop diversification and crop yields. These two sub-goals of achieving food security address malnutrition rates, while also better preventing monkey invasions into gardens.

With the 100 acres of enclosed land, each direct beneficiary of this project will have a personal 100 m (328.08 ft.) garden. To maintain their gardens, EIG members will continue practicing agroforestry techniques for the surrounding trees and enforce the local agroecology standards to ensure the sustainability of this project.

Project Highlights

  • The community installed 400 meters (1,312.34 ft) of fencing, which protects the gardens from monkeys.

  • The community demonstrated ownership of this project through their 19.5% completed project procedures, such as an internal regulation for organized activities in DAYAM, instituting a monthly fee to reduce community member’s bank dependency, and improving the group’s morale.

  • A team formed of community members will continue this project and finish the remaining tasks for the completion and long-term existence of the Yamoussa Agroforestry Estate project.

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