person: Aïssata Ba
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Aïssata Ba plans to overcome issues with farm labour by mechanising her irrigation system
When the unexpected departure of labourers during a critical stage of her vegetable crop production jeopardised her livelihood, Aïssata Ba decided she needed to reduce her dependence on seasonal agricultural workers. She knew that the most effective way of achieving greater self-reliance would be to mechanise the irrigation of her farmland by investing in a…
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New steps towards greater efficiency and autonomy
Once she had finally paid off her solar water pump last June, thanks to the grant received through ENERGIA’s Covid19 Solidarity Fund, and with enough capital for seedlings, feritiliser and labour Aïssata Ba took some time at the end of the summer to prepare her land for a new agricultural cycle. She had already bought…
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Aissata Ba takes pride in keeping up her business in the face of obstacles
It was with some trepidation that Aïssata Ba approached the onion season at the start of this year. The previous few months had seen a lifting of government restrictions, but by mid-January, following a new surge in Covid-19 cases, a curfew was imposed in the regions of Thiès and Dakar. Anxiety was rife amongst the…
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A recovery plan for Aïssata Ba amid fears of a second wave
The last six months have often seemed like a rollercoaster for Aïssata Ba as she tries to keep her market garden business afloat. As soon as the Senegalese COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in June 2020, Aïssata rolled up her sleeves and brought her land back to life by using a new blend of poultry dung,…
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Aïssata Ba thinks outside the box to keep her business going in trying times
Following the success of her previous vegetable harvest, Aïssata Ba started a second agricultural cycle of tomatoes and cabbages, towards the end of 2019. From seeds to seedlings, she nurtured the crops using a solar-powered water pump to keep them well irrigated. Abundance of water and sun turned her 0.15 hectares of land in…
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The market gardening entrepreneur modernising rural agriculture, with the help of solar power
Thanks to its fertile soil, favourable climate and plentiful supply of water for irrigation, the small village of Lompoul Sur Mer in the Niayes area of north-west Senegal is an ideal location for market gardening. Practiced throughout the year, market gardening is the primary income source for many women in the village. Aïssata Ba, 45…