The start of the dry counter-season campaign on the Bow rice locker, located in the department of Kanel, raises strong concerns among local rice farmers. The latter, bringing together an area of more than 320 hectares and seven localities in the municipalities of Ouro Sidy and Ndendory, are undergoing delays due to various dysfunctions hindering their activities.
According to a report by the Senegalese news agency, the producers, gathered in general assembly this Sunday, expressed their concerns concerning several obstacles. Among these challenges are development problems, inadequate pumping equipment and difficulty accessing credit. “At the end of the last winter campaign, it had been agreed with the company in charge of the developments to repair the Bow site, but so far, no action has been initiated,” deplored Ousmane Ndiaye, the president of the producers, speaking in the name of his peers.
The poor design of irrigation channels, devoid of damping works, complicates water management, he said. Another major problem lies in the absence of a plating on certain plots, resulting in ineffective irrigation. The limited capacity of the three pumping stations is also an alarming factor, he added. “The current pumping system does not provide for river level drops in the dry season, seriously compromising the viability of the locker, despite the significant investments made,” he said.
Moussa Mbodj, a framework of the land development and exploitation of the Delta of the Senegal River and Falémé (SAED), explained that the rice locker has not yet been received permanently. “As with any new development, some improvements are necessary,” he noted. He indicated that the company had returned after the first wintering campaign to assess, with producers, the plating problems, thus making it possible to start the dry counter-season campaign. While ensuring that the pumping materials are in working order, it has recognized the negative impact of the low water level in the campaign irrigation channels.
Mr. Mbodj reassured that to overcome this situation, the SAED has set up a channel cleaning device to improve the draft. This article was developed based on the content of our South Daily colleagues.
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