Diagnosis of Yène soil erosion and control recommendations Sénégal

Context of the service

The rural community of Yène is located in Senegal, on the "Petite Côte", about thirty kilometers south of Dakar. It is subject to significant groundwater erosion, gullies and wind erosion, primarily due to low vegetation cover and the presence of steep slopes. As the area is cultivated, inhabited and touristic, the negative impacts on the economy are significant.
These include: Decrease in productivity of cultivated land: Loss of land area and increased isolation; Degradation of vegetation, both cause (loss of the role of protection and structuring of soils) and consequence (difficult installation of plants) of erosion; Degradation of downstream water quality; Damage to downstream homes.
The GAIA Senegal association wanted to provide the rural community with practical recommendations on site rehabilitation and erosion control, mainly based on plant solutions.

Services provided

The analyses included: Identification of erosion processes in the area; Development of a typology of impacts according to soil types and geographical location; Identification of factors influencing erosion intensity.
Recommendations and a programme of work were formulated on the following aspects: Revegetation in non-cultivated areas with recommendations on tree species; Anti-erosion practices in cultivated areas (intensification, cultivation schedules, mulching and residue management, cover crops, agroforestry, crop combinations, tillage, etc.); Runoff management (capture runoff for irrigation, total infiltration of captured water, diversion of excess water, dissipation of runoff energy); Development of gullies (thresholds); Organization of grazing.

Summary of the service

Diagnosis of Yène soil erosion and control recommendations: Analysis of erosion factors and processes in the area; Recommendations and programme of work (Revegetation in non-cultivated areas with recommendations on species; Anti-erosion agricultural practices in cultivated areas; Runoff management; Development of gullies; Organization of grazing).