To market, to market

Farming women hold up more than half the sky in rural Senegal. Olga Linares, a researcher with the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Institute in Panama, has been doing fieldwork in three regions of Senegal for 40 years. She has witnessed many changes over this period including a doubling of the number of poor people, declining rainfall and abandonment of many of the rice fields, and the effects of the drop in the value of African currencies. During this period, the World Bank has admitted to neglecting agriculture.

Although variations exist across the three regions, Linares finds a general pattern of women developing gardens that they cultivate on their own or with groups of women to produce vegetables for sale in nearby markets. The installation of drip irrigation systems, with the assistance of NGOs, is the single-most important innovation in saving women countless hours carrying water over long distances to their gardens.

Linares points out that it is women’s traditional knowledge of farming that is critical in this new endeavor, along with help from NGOs and extension services. Their familiarity with what works and what doesn’t is “ultimately responsible” for the success of their gardens. With cash from sales, they support the household economy including clothing, rice for daily meals, and children’s schooling. Vegetables that are not sold are consumed by household members or fed to their domestic animals.

All in all, it’s a win-win situation that builds on women’s traditional knowledge, capabilities, and cooperation can lead to life-sustaining change.

Image: A farmer in Senegal by Flickr user vredeseilanden. Licensed by Creative Commons.