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OUR Major Project

Water Well Drilling Project and Establishment of a Community and Cooperative Farm

Senegal, a Sahelian Country : 

Senegal is a country characterized by subsistence farming highly dependent on climatic hazards, which contribute to both food insecurity and acute rural poverty. The degradation of natural resources is alarming due to unsuitable farming practices and the impacts of climate change. 

 

A Senegalese association was founded in 2001 to promote agroecology in rural areas of the Louga region, including our village of Thiarène Sarr. This association (Association for Economic and Social Development of Thiarène Sarr) aims to support the economic and social development of villages in the region. 

 

It proposes an agricultural approach that combines environmentally friendly practices. Numerous obstacles hinder the implementation of this initiative.. 

 

Access to water: a difficult and arduous task

During the dry season, which lasts eight months of the year, the distance traveled to obtain drinking water is a real ordeal for women and girls. They are responsible for collecting this precious liquid. In the dry season, the distance traveled is 7 km round trip, often in high temperatures (over 33 degrees Celsius). Young girls must also contribute to this task. This has a detrimental effect on their schooling and results in a high academic failure rate.

Unsafe and unsanitary water. Collecting existing water can harm the health of the entire family, especially children. Even if the water comes from a safe source, the fact that it is Transporting and storing it increases the risk of contamination before it is consumed. During the dry season, water supply problems in the village are even more severe.

 

Access to Land

Numerous meetings have already taken place with the village chief and authorities, as well as with the Senegalese association. From these meetings, the project’s outline emerged. The village chief and two prominent families have ceded the land for 25 years so that it can be cultivated. The land chosen for market gardening covers 100 hectares. The site has already been cleared by the villagers. A 55-hectare farm will soon be laid out there. Fruit trees and hedges will be planted around the perimeter to clearly define its boundaries.

The president speaks to us about the dream (Daniel Arseneault)

 

Project Objectives

The project’s main objectives are:

• To drill a well in the village, to a depth of 120 meters;

• To construct a 10,000-liter elevated water tower with a filtration system for drinking water;

• To construct and position two 5,000 m³ secondary reservoirs;

• To install solar-powered pumping infrastructure from the well to the water tower and the two secondary reservoirs;

• To install two solar-powered pumping and irrigation systems on each of the two secondary reservoirs;

• To create an agricultural cooperative with bylaws and regulations and entrust its management to women;

• To train employees, particularly in the areas of irrigation, fertilization, insect and pest management, pollination, and the importance of crop rotation;

• Establish a 55-hectare community farm within a 100-hectare area, including a market garden surrounded by fruit and shade trees;

• Create two water points to supply neighbouring villages;

• Establish a community work team and organizational chart with defined tasks and responsibilities;

• Free young girls from the daily chore of fetching water so they can attend school and break free from the cycle of precarious living;

• Provide women in the village with regular and reliable sources of income;

• Sustainably improve the community’s living conditions;

• Raise community awareness about malnutrition, poor diet and hygiene;

• Prevent rural exodus and its often dramatic negative consequences once people reach urban areas. 

The beneficiaries

The development of market gardening will have positive impacts on the living conditions of more than 2,000 villagers, including 800 children. The surrounding villages will also benefit from this initiative through increased job opportunities and easier access to water.

 

The women of the village tell us…

 

Land Availability

As with all projects undertaken by the association, meetings were organized to inform all beneficiaries about the project and involve them in its implementation. The village chief of Thiarène, two landowners, and the mayor of the municipality formalized the allocation of land (100 hectares in total) so that it could be used for our project.

The site chosen for market gardening will gradually expand to 45 hectares, in addition to 10 hectares of fruit trees.

 

The site for the community vegetable garden, donated by the village chief, is currently being

cleared. Trees will soon be planted around the perimeter of the vegetable garden to clearly define

its boundaries and increase rainwater retention in the groundwater.

Infrastructure, Training, and Equipment Planned: With a focus on ensuring the overall ecological sustainability of the production system and the profitability of market gardening activities, the following solutions have been adopted: The project aims to install solar pumping infrastructure and primary irrigation systems initially, followed by drip irrigation and sprinkler systems.

This equipment will facilitate the work of villagers operating within these areas while increasing their productivity and optimizing water consumption. Crucially, we will also provide drinking water to a wider population than just the village itself.

Drilling

• A water well will be drilled to a depth of approximately 120m, on which a solar pumping system with piping will be installed.

• A 10,000-liter elevated tank (equipped with a filtration system) will be connected to this system to supply drinking water to the village of Thiarène. In addition, two community water intakes will be installed on the outskirts of the village so that residents of surrounding villages can access water.

• Two 5,000 m³ reservoirs (secondary basins) will be constructed. A solar pumping system with piping and an irrigation system will be installed on these reservoirs.

 

Note: The estimates below are currently under analysis. The order of items and quantities may be modified.

 

The average depth of existing surface wells is 60m. They only have water for four months of the year.

 

Steps completed

1. Meeting and formal agreement in principle with community partners.

2. Meeting with government bodies (Embassy of Canada, Ministry of Agriculture of Senegal, ISRA – Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research).

3. Establishment of a timeline (in progress).

Upcoming steps (March and April 2026):

• Topographic analysis of the terrain and soil composition;

• Creation of the perimeter for a 100-hectare agricultural plot;

• Design of an optimal farm on 55 hectares of the 100 hectares;

• Meetings to formalize agreements with various levels of government (Canadian Embassy, Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture, ISRA, etc.);

• Creation and design of the water supply and distribution system;

• Initiation of partnership agreements with the future Gouttes d’Espoir agricultural cooperative and the Thiarène Sarr community.

 

Implementation of the project (July to December 2026)

• Conceptualization of the agricultural plan (various fields, restrooms, shower facilities, buildings and employee well-being).

• Construction of a living fence and soil fertilization (September to December 2026). • Opening of a nursery for seeds, fruit trees, and shade trees.

• Staff training.

• Costing of the various infrastructure projects, operating costs, and expected revenues.

Implementation of the water and distribution system (December 2026 to April 2027)

• Drilling;

• Installation of water and irrigation systems;

• Purchase of seeds;

• Purchase of agricultural manual and mechanical tools;

• Purchase of thirty pregnant goats, three bucks, and 500 chicks;

• Training of beneficiaries and construction of farm buildings.

Access to materials and seeds

Developing a farm requires essential start-up materials. Quality tools and seeds are often inaccessible to these low-income villagers.