Issiaka NGuessan | January 30, 2025
News Brief
Marie Jeanne Ballo, a seasoned cassava farmer in Bamoro, Côte d’Ivoire, is transforming her one-hectare farm with agroforestry. As regional president of a cassava farmers’ cooperative, she addresses soil degradation by planting tree hedges of akpi, kola, and fraké. These trees help retain rainwater, prevent erosion, and restore nutrients. Mrs. Ballo learned these techniques through a climate awareness campaign. She says, “My cassava stems are greener and denser—this year looks promising.”
Marie Jeanne Ballo, a seasoned cassava farmer in her fifties, lives in Bamoro, a bustling agricultural village situated about 10 kilometres from Bouaké in central-northern Côte d’Ivoire. Known for its vibrant farming activities, Bamoro is a close-knit farming community with some modern features, like a primary school and a health centre. As the regional president of a cassava farmers’ cooperative, Mrs. Ballo plays a pivotal role in supporting the livelihoods of local farmers and advancing the region’s agricultural practices.
This morning, Mrs. Ballo visits her one-hectare farm carrying a basin filled with young plants of akpi, kola trees, and fraké trees. She says: “I plant trees on my farm to prevent soil erosion, preserve biodiversity, and regenerate the soil.”
Mrs. Ballo notes that over the years, she has witnessed a decline in the forest surrounding her farm, which has contributed to ongoing challenges like reduced soil fertility, even after planting trees to restore the land. She adds, “Even when it rains, my field dries out quickly, and the soil has lost its fertility.”
She attributes the soil depletion partly to slash-and-burn farming and bushfires, adding that reduced rainfall is another significant contributing factor.
The degradation of the soil has led to a decline in her cassava production. She says, “Cassava tubers are getting smaller and smaller compared to just a few years ago.”
To restore soil fertility, Mrs. Ballo has planted tree hedges—a belt of trees made up of akpi and kola plants. She explains that these hedges help retain rainwater longer in her field to nourish cassava plants and protect the soil from wind and water erosion. The trees help retain soil moisture and facilitate the fixation of essential nutrients such as minerals, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which are vital for cassava growth. Additionally, the trees provide the necessary shade for the cassava plants.
Mrs. Ballo carefully selects plants based on their utility. For example, she plants framiré trees for their wood and akpi for its seeds, which have antibiotic properties. She says, “Akpi leaves are also used to season my sauces.”
She learned these practices during an awareness campaign conducted by Côte d’Ivoire’s agriculture and water and forestry services as part of efforts to combat climate change. Since then, Mrs. Ballo has been following the technical recommendations she received. She identified the tree species required and planted young trees in rows, spaced 20 meters apart, to create protective hedges.
To ensure a steady supply of tree seedlings, Mrs. Ballo established her own nursery two years ago. Since then, she has successfully produced 6,000 seedlings. Some of these were used to create hedges on her farm, while she sold 5,300 trees to members of the cassava sector who practice agroforestry.
Albert Konan, an agroforestry specialist at the National Development Support Agency in Bouaké, highlights the benefits of integrating trees with crops or livestock. He explains that agroforestry not only improves soil fertility but also offers sustainable solutions for managing land and increasing productivity, helping farmers like Mrs. Ballo address long-term environmental challenges. He emphasizes that agroforestry plays a key role in sustainable soil management and improves soil fertility.
He notes that agroforestry can be practiced with shrub legumes like gliricidia, leucaena, or mucuna, which enhance organic and mineral fertilization of the soil. It can also involve fruit or non-fruit trees. Trees serve as windbreaks and foster the development of a microclimate.
Mr. Konan emphasizes that Mrs. Ballo’s approach of increasing tree coverage on cultivated land is effective in restoring soil moisture and nutrients. He concludes, “It’s a good practice as it contributes to soil fertilization.”
Mrs. Ballo expresses satisfaction with the results of agroforestry on her farm. She says, “My cassava stems and leaves are greener and denser. This is a sign that I will have a good harvest this year.”
Photo: Marie Jeanne Ballo in her field in Côte d’Ivoire, photographed by Issiaka N’Guessan.