admin | October 2, 2026
How do you grow vegetables when access to land is limited, soils are degrading, and markets are far away? This was the challenge facing women in the Thiès region of Senegal.
Micro-gardens are providing the answer for three villages: Chérif Lô, Keur Massamba Gueye, and Keur Ngoré. On tables in pots, or using recycled tires, women are growing mint, lettuce, eggplant, chillies, and spring onions.
For Djeumb Diop, from the village of Keur Ngoré, the change is first felt in the cooking pot. She says, “We hardly need to go into town anymore. Almost everything we need for our meals can be found in our micro-garden.”
Her neighbours share the same view. Mané Diop says: “Before, we used to buy all our vegetables in town. Now, most of them are available here.” For Khoudia Diop, this initiative has opened up new possibilities: “We never thought it was possible to grow vegetables on tables, in pots or tires, and that it could actually work.” This technique reduces food expenses and can generate income from the sale of surplus produce.
These micro-gardens were introduced as part of the FAO project SAGA 2, which is working with women’s groups in Senegal to strengthen food security, incomes, and the sustainable management of natural resources as climate change intensifies. The project has partnered with civil society organizations SUCO and GRAIM.
Community nurseries address another challenge: restoring vegetation cover while producing useful resources for households. Through the project, three nurseries have produced nearly 5,000 seedlings, including mango, lemon, soursop and papaya trees.
Djeumb Diop can still see the benefits today: “Since 2021, I have been planting trees in my field using seedlings from our nursery. Since then, I have been benefited from the production of lemon trees, which brings me a lot of money through sales.”
These fruit trees are diversifying diets and creating new economic opportunities for women.
The benefits of these new ventures are also being shared amongst the women in each village. Fatou Diop is chair of the And Liguèye farmer group – which means “let’s work together” in the Wolof language. She says part of the money earned from selling produce from the community micro-gardens is used to buy seedling trays, which they share. The proceeds from the nursery made it possible to buy chairs and tarpaulins to rent out for ceremonies. She adds, “In every home here, you will find the fruits of this project.”
Another benefit from this project, Mrs. Diop says, is that women now better understand the causes of climate change and how to cope with it. This includes using improved cookstoves, which use less firewood and limit smoke exposure. Women have been trained to build these improved cookstoves.
For Sokhna Diop, who prepares and sells local couscous, the impact is immediate: “I need very little wood to make my couscous. I now save a lot of time to get on with other activities.” She also sees a benefit for the environment: “Because the need for wood has decreased, it is a great advantage for the trees, which will be preserved.”
This article is based on a story from FAO called “When adapting to climate change starts in the kitchen and in micro-gardens.” To read the full story, go to: https://www.fao.org/in-action/saga/news-and-events/news/news-detail/when-adapting-to-climate-change-starts-in-the-kitchen-and-in-micro-gardens/en