Eco-Villages Senegal and Mauritania

Eco-Villages Senegal and Mauritania 

This article from Field Study of the World explores how rural communities in Senegal are transforming into "ecovillages" to combat the dual threats of desertification and poverty.

​Here is a summary of the key points:

​The Context: A National Movement

​Senegal is a global leader in this movement, having established a National Agency for Ecovillages in 2008. The government set an ambitious goal to transition 14,000 villages into self-sufficient ecovillages. While the government provides support, the movement is deeply rooted in grassroots efforts, with some communities organized under GEN Senegal (part of the Global Ecovillage Network) for over 30 years.

​Combatting Desertification

​The Sahel region faces severe soil degradation due to deforestation and climate change. Without trees, Sahara winds blow away fertile topsoil, leading to "biological degradation" rather than just lack of rain.

​Reforestation: Ecovillages like Diara have spent three decades planting trees, which has brought back wildlife and restored soil productivity.

​Permaculture: By using organic farming and permaculture, villages are regenerating land that was previously exhausted by monoculture (like peanut farming).

​Sustainable Water & Energy

​Water Management: The use of solar-powered pumps, boreholes, and irrigation systems has made villages drought-resistant. This allows for year-round gardening, providing both food security and surplus produce to sell.

​Solar Power: In villages like Bakombel, solar panels provide light and internet for schools, power mills for processing crops, and save residents from walking days just to charge mobile phones.

​Biofuel: Some villages, like Ndem, turn agricultural waste (peanut shells) into biofuel, reducing the need to cut down trees for firewood.

​Economic and Social Impact

​The transition to ecovillages is successfully reversing rural-to-urban migration.

​Poverty Alleviation: Increased agricultural yields and new artisanal industries (like fair-trade organic cotton in Ndem) provide stable incomes.

​Empowering Women: Many ecovillages feature women’s community gardens and food processing centers, which provide women with financial independence and nutritious food for their families.

​REDES: The article highlights the work of REDES, a non-profit based in the Guede Chantier ecovillage, which works across 38 villages in Senegal and Mauritania to promote biodynamic farming and food forests.

​Conclusion

​The Senegalese ecovillage model suggests that the solution to rural poverty in climate-vulnerable regions is a "return to the past"—restoring a respectful connection to the environment—combined with modern sustainable technology like solar power.

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