The Best Time To Plant A Tree?

Established trees in the Lamarame Garden help fortify the soil and protect from harsh weather conditions.

…was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now! This old proverb still rings true, especially for our work in Senegal’s northern region of Podor. This part of the Sahel has been devastated by deforestation, and with climate change leading to longer hotter dry seasons, it feels like the Sahara Desert is right next door.

The village of Belel Kelle, in the northern region of Senegal, experiences longer and hotter dry seasons due to deforestation and climate change.

Starting a garden in this environment is a leap of faith and planting a tree is an act of defiance, that we need not accept what is, we can create a better life for ourselves and the world around us.

At the Ouro Madiaw Garden established trees, such as mangoes, papayas, and bananas, improve the soil while protecting the people and crops from harsh conditions.

Trees are the foundation of every Andando garden. They protect people and crops from harsh conditions, raise ground water levels, build new fertile topsoil, and create permanent barriers against livestock. Trees keep Andando gardens flourishing year after year without any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, and help infrastructure to last as long as possible so that upkeep is gradual and manageable at the local level.

Live-fencing provides the same soil regenerating benefits as other trees while also creating a permanent barrier against livestock and making upkeep gradual and manageable.

To date Andando has established over 50,000 native trees in our gardens and surrounding communities. That’s not only incredible for our partners but represents a huge amount of carbon sequestered out of the atmosphere!

Planting and tending to the seedlings sheltered inside the Tree Nursery in Keur Soce. A second nursery will be built in Podor, the northern region of Senegal, next month.

We are breaking ground next month on a new tree nursery in Podor so that we can expand and accelerate our tree planting program. This location will soon produce tens of thousands of trees year round helping to jump-start new gardens and allow Andando to begin reforesting this vital region on the front lines of climate change. The time is now, and we are excited to get to work!

Farming Fish...in the Desert?

Readying the basins for the fish, part of a trial aquaculture project in four of our well- established gardens.

During our latest trip to Senegal, Garrison and Lewis worked with our Senegal staff to add yet another exciting element to four of our gardens near Keur Soce - Aquaculture!  In a partnership with the Auburn University, that started in 2019, we are embarking on a trial fish farming project to raise Tilapia and Clarias Catfish in the gardens. 

Filling the two large basins that will be home to Tilapia and Clarias Catfish in the gardens.

Fish are an essential part of daily life in Senegal and while dried fish are readily available throughout the country, fresh fish can sometimes be scarce in inland areas.  Producing fish locally is a wonderful addition to food security and our nutrition objectives.

Adjusting the flow rate of the drain in the bottom of the basin.

Digging the pipline that will take water from the fish basin to the garden watering basin.

But where does one get baby fish in Senegal?  Well, as with most things, you gotta know a guy.  Fish farming isn’t commonplace yet in Senegal but it does exist and there is a small network of fish producers around the country.  Our coordinator from Auburn gave us a list of phone numbers and that’s all we needed. 

Transporting fish in the back of a truck to the garden.

Weighing one of the catfish to track growth.

Naturally none of those contacts had any fish available but believe in the magic of Senegal and our Country Director Boubou!  He connected the dots from one person to the next until just a few days later, as if by magic it seemed, we were driving into town with 500 fingerlings in the back of the truck!  We introduced the fish into the basins to the general amazement from everyone, ourselves included. 

The significance of what this could mean for the gardens wasn’t lost on anyone and both the technicians and the women in the gardens were eager and attentive as we explained the project. 

Testing and maintaining an appropriate pH level will ensure a healthy living environment for the fish.

Women of the Lamarame Market Garden

We left everything in their capable hands and a month later we are happy to report that the fish are doing great!  This is only the beginning.  We’ll keep you updated as the fish grow and we see the many benefits they bring.