Aquaculture in the Sahel: How Women are Leading the Expansion of Fish Farming in Senegal

Women’s Cooperative Gardens are leading the expansion of fish farming in Senegal. By integrating fish farming into established gardens, communities increase food security and diversity without using additional water.

In rural Senegal, where water is limited and conditions are harsh, it would be easy to assume that fish farming would be a risky venture requiring major investment. What Andando has seen instead is that women in small rural cooperatives are not only succeeding where others might expect failure, they are mastering this skill and helping lead the expansion of aquaculture across the Sahel.

“Especially since we live in a dry area. The locals didn’t believe that fish farming would be possible here. But Mash’Allah, everything went well. ”

— Dickel Sow

But how can fish farming in such arid regions be possible on any meaningful scale? The answer lies in working within limits so the same water does double duty. Solar pumps pass daily irrigation water first through basins of tilapia, producing fish for food and sale, and adding nutrients to the water which then naturally fertilizes crops.

Dickel Sow (right) and other members of the Mbantou Croissement women’s garden with their first fish.

The impact of Andando’s most recent aquaculture integrations in the Mbantou Croissement and Mboyo Walo women’s gardens has been immediate and visible. As Dickel Sow explained,

“If we didn’t have this fish pond, we would have gone elsewhere to buy fish. But now we raise fish ourselves, and we also eat and sell. And all our friends and family often come to buy them.”

— Dickel Sow, Mbantou Croissement Garden Member

Aminata Elhadj Diagne (left) with other members of the fish farming committee of Mboyo Walo.

Greater access to fish and increased yields are also having a transformative impact on nutrition in these villages:

“We used to have up to 35 children suffering from malnutrition... But now it is a part of our past, here in Mboyo.”

— Aminata Elhadj Diagne, Member of the Mboyo Walo Fish Farming Committee

Oumou Ndiaye of Mboyo Walo, showing her garden plot, which is more productive than ever this year.

These women are proving once again that sustainable food security solutions can grow from the ground up, with local leaders forging the way.

From the Director - February 2025

People often ask us about Andando’s “magic formula”—how do we continue to succeed where so many development projects struggle? I wish I could say it’s pure talent, but in truth, more often it’s diligence. We are constantly listening, learning, and adapting.

The new aquaculture fish farming basins are complete in our Mboyo Walo partner garden. The women here are quickly mastering this difficult new skill.

Take our women’s gardens, for example. To ensure their long-term sustainability, we’ve recently focused on improving financial literacy and savings. Last year alone, these gardens collectively added nearly $8,500 to their savings accounts, bringing the total balance to an impressive $41,000. And that’s on top of individual profits! The addition of fish farming has helped contribute to these results, and we’re thrilled to report that our two newest aquaculture pilot gardens are thriving, with their first harvest just a few months away!

The new pharmacist at the Paymar rural health clinic proudly displaying their full stock of medications and supplies, ready to serve members of their community.

Another example of diligence is our partner health clinic in Paymar, where the community has pooled resources to hire a new nurse and pharmacist to expand services; however, their efforts are hindered by a damaged roof. By continuing to monitor past projects and listen to partners, we can now help to resolve this issue with a new roof and possible expansion of the facility as well.

The leaders of the Haffé women’s garden sitting on the newly constructed watering basin. Soon they will transform this degraded landscape into a verdant oasis to support their families.

Lastly, I’d like to introduce you to our newest garden partners in the village of Haffé, near Keur Socé. This community has faced immense challenges establishing their garden, from flooding that delayed the project to a well that partially collapsed right when production was set to begin. However, through close collaboration with the women, village leaders, and local government, we were able to assist them in overcoming each hurdle, leaving the group of 220 women more determined and empowered than ever to start their garden.

Your diligent support of Andando allows us to continue to do this work the right way and create lasting change.