Tag: agriculture

23
Oct

The songs of agricultural work in Mali, February 2023

The villagers taking part in the Watigueleya Kele programme have collected a number of songs that accompany farm work. More or less recent, they punctuate the collective work, encourage the workers and sometimes express their concerns and hopes.   Song (Bouillagui) waxati kigné ono soxano dema hakheti sou iwa soukho teni noxo: soxé ni gollè mounafante nia   kha khotenie,

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19
Oct

Adapting crops to climate change (Bougarila, Mali), February 2023

Climate change and the adverse effects that go with it mean that farmers have to adapt their crops to get through the lean seasons. The lean season is the period before the next harvest when food supplies from the previous season run out. Drought and increased climatic hazards mean that stocks are depleted more quickly, making people more vulnerable to

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18
Oct

Wintering and preparations for wintering (Banzana, Mali), February 2023

Wintering (the rainy season) is an important period in agricultural activity, when the rains invigorate the fields and make them fertile. Unfortunately, because of climate change and irregular and decreasing rainfall, crops suffer from drought, producing poor harvests that do not allow farmers to make a living. Faced with these difficulties, villagers have had to adapt their farming practices in

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25
Jul

The ploughmen (Banzana, Mali), February 2023

We are with the ploughmen. This year’s wintering is late. The rain started, then stopped abruptly, then started up again. Our first seedlings have all withered, so we have to sow a second time. With the rain nothing is guaranteed, it’s raining normally at the moment and we’re hoping that the rainwater hasn’t done any damage. If the rain continues

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19
Jun

Market gardening in Damaro (Guinea), February 2023

Ibrahima Camara introduces himself. He deplores the fact that young people are currently more interested in mining than farming: he has a labour problem recruiting workers, since everyone is currently working in the mines. The second problem is climate change, which is disrupting his agricultural calendar, since the dry season is now longer than the rainy season, which was not

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2
May

Market gardens in Bougarila (Mali), August 2022

This is a market garden placed in the rivers. It could be useful during climate change to grow for example tomatoes, potatoes and onions. During the rainy season the work is impossible. These gardens are fenced with thorns and have to be watched from early morning to prevent animals from spoiling and eating them. This technique is practiced by those

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2
May

Natural fertilizer in Banzana (Mali), May 2021

My name is Tenenba Diarra, I am from Mali, from the Banzana region. At the time of winter, we take this waste to our fields and put it in a pile. When it has rained twice, we scatter the piles all over the field with shovels and cultivate the field. To prepare our market gardens, we dig a hole and

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25
Apr

A new groundnut seed (Monzona, Mali), January 2022

Good news for farmers! A new peanut seed has been discovered that is adapted to drought and grows faster. A single shell contains 4 seeds as you can see on the picture. Its yield is therefore double that of the first one.

24
Apr

Rice cultivation in Bouillagui (Mali), May 2021

We will explain how we grow rice in Bouillagui. Around June, as the rainy season approaches, before the first rainfall, the women go to the rice fields in the marigots. They sow the rice grains before the rains come and they take the hoe to cultivate it. The rice can stay under the ground for about 2 months without growing

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24
Apr

Harvesting and shelling maize in Monzona, Mali, November 2021

Despite the poor rainfall, the villagers were able to achieve a good yield, thanks to the use of local fertiliser. With local fertiliser, the seeds are more resistant to drought than with chemical fertiliser.