With about twenty young farmers from the village, they have pooled together 5 hectares of land where they all work together. On that particular day, they finish sowing green beans. After the traditional morning meeting, everyone toils in sync before the sun gets too hot to work.
Community solidarity
On this farm, everything is based on community solidarity, far from the individualism of big cities. "Here, we produce beans for export and other products, such as tomatoes, chili peppers, and okra, intended for local trade. We share all the revenue from our sales equally," enthuses François Diouf.
In the last farming season, 200 tons of vegetables were produced. "Without this solidarity, we would not achieve such yields. We are all there for each other. If one of us is sick, another replaces them on the spot, even if they had not planned to work that day," he continues.
"Here, our motto is 'together, we are stronger'! "
François Diouf, President of the local Ecological and Social Community Farm in Mont-Rolland, Senegal
Hence the name of their group: "GIE Khabaranta", which means "helping each other" in Sereer Ndut, the language spoken in Mont-Rolland.
Creating jobs in rural areas
As they all affirm, in this community farm, every farmer earns enough to meet their needs and live in decent conditions. "Much more than those who decided to leave," says one of them. In Mont-Rolland, as in many villages in the interior of Senegal, the rural exodus is a difficult scourge to curb. Some leave for the city, while others risk their lives on the perilous immigration routes to Europe. " We created this community farm in our area to avoid this," explains François Diouf.
He wants to be an example for the youth who can believe in a future in their native village. "I did not want to give in to the European myth; I decided to stay home. There is a present and a future for our youth in Mont-Rolland." Although some young people may have given in to temptation, François assures that "today, everyone is fully committed."
Social and Ecological Engagement
As a proud contributor to the creation and maintenance of jobs in rural areas, François also believes that young people serve their community much better by staying. Indeed, François and his colleagues contribute to feeding the population of Mont-Rolland with the vegetables they produce. "I wish for young people to rekindle their passion for working the land. Agriculture is a noble activity and an opportunity for our youth. Here, we carry on what our parents did with more means," he adds, "there are more and more mouths to feed in Senegal and the Sahel. We need them to consume our local products and stop importing them."
In other words, to produce more and better. For all farmers environmental responsibility comes hand in hand with social responsibility. The 5-hectare plantation is irrigated by a solar-powered system. François and his colleagues take pride in cultivating their land in the most natural way possible. "We aim for cleaner, greener, and more ethical agriculture," emphasizes François.
A model to follow ?
After a rainy season that destroyed part of the installations and plantations, François Diouf and his colleagues received support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 2020, he received 8 million FCFA, equivalent to USD13,200, to restart his production. "This allowed us to get back to work. With this aid, we were able to purchase seeds, fertilizer, and drip irrigation," he recalls.
"If we were to adopt this farming model in all 552 municipalities in Senegal, it would be a significant stride towards curbing immigration as it would generate numerous employment opportunities," analyzed François Samb, a UNDP volunteer stationed in Mont-Rolland. "Without a doubt, this is a model worth emulating."
This model demonstrates that one can lead a fulfilling life, even better than in urban areas, while simultaneously having gainful employment. "If we support the youth in Senegal and the Sahel, they can achieve their potential and contribute to the development of their countries. The young generation yearns to succeed!"
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