Dioro Cissé | January 30, 2026
News Brief
In Niono, about 100 kilometres from Ségou in Mali, rice farmer Birama Faronta is reviving a traditional soil-turning technique to restore infertile fields. A member of the “Riz du village” cooperative, he turns rice residues into natural fertilizer by gently ploughing and flooding fields for two weeks. The method, learned from his father, doubled his rice yield from 6 to 12.5 tonnes on two hectares. Shared through cooperative work, the practice is helping farmers abandon chemical fertilizers and reclaim degraded land.
In Niono, a rice-growing area located about one hundred kilometres from the city of Ségou in Mali, Birama Faronta, a rice farmer in his thirties, channels water into his newly turned two-hectare field. He is a member of the “Riz du village” cooperative. He explains: “After each harvest, I turn the soil over the rice plant residues. It is a good natural fertilizer for my field.”
Mr. Faronta learned this soil-turning technique from his father. This traditional method of soil fertilization allows him to increase his yields.
In Niono, several farmers have abandoned their fields, which have become infertile for rice cultivation. Mr. Faronta explains that overexploitation of fields, the use of chemical fertilizers, and scarce rainfall are the causes of soil degradation.
He says that the soil-turning technique is a local solution that helps enrich agricultural land. He adds: “Our parents did not need fertilizers to enrich their soil. Since I adopted this technique, my field has become more fertile.” Mr. Faronta explains that the technique consists of gently turning the soil over agricultural residues and flooding the field with water for at least two weeks. This process turns the residues into compost and fertilizes the soil.
Thanks to the soil-turning technique, Mr. Faronta increased his rice production from 6 tonnes to 12.5 tonnes on his two hectares. He proudly explains that part of the harvest will be sold to support his wife’s business and pay for his children’s schooling.
For more than two years, Mr. Faronta has been sharing his experience with other members of his community who are organized into a cooperative. Each week, they meet in one member’s field to help apply the technique. Thanks to this collective and supportive work, they save time and live in harmony within the community.
Mr. Faronta’s support has renewed interest in rice farming among members of his community. He says that more and more cooperative members are abandoning slash-and-burn practices and the use of chemical fertilizers. This has helped restore and reclaim more than 8 hectares of depleted land for rice cultivation.
Bougouna Coulibaly is the head of the agriculture sector in Ségou. He believes that this group-based technique is a good natural composting approach in rice-growing areas. Mr. Coulibaly adds that this technique helps combat soil depletion and significantly reduces the use of and dependence on chemical fertilizers, which are increasingly expensive and harmful to fields.
For greater effectiveness, Mr. Coulibaly recommends that cooperative members add cow dung or hay before flooding the fields. He says: “By adding organic manure, we get better results. It further strengthens the soil and stimulates crop growth.”
Habib Tangara is the son of the village chief of Niono and a member of Mr. Faronta’s cooperative. He uses the soil-turning technique to produce rice and okra. He says that this year he sold more than 25 bags of 100 kg of rice. The sale of his production earned him more than 500,000 FCFA (1,229 CAD). He explains: “Our fields are becoming more and more fertile, and collective work makes the task easy and enjoyable.”
Mr. Faronta is convinced that the soil-turning technique is more protective of nature and beneficial for farmers. He plans to strengthen his cooperative to attract more members. Mr. Faronta concludes: “For me, we must return to our healthier traditional practices and make use of nature’s benefits to restore our agricultural lands and live from the land.”
