In Missirah Wadenne, in the Koungheul department (Kaffrine region), the Ripostes project is struggling to produce the desired results. On the developed site, everything seems to be in place to make market gardening and reforestation drivers of local development. But a major constraint has brought everything to a complete halt: access to water.

Infrastructure… without life

The town boasts a plant nursery and arboretum spread across several hectares, protected by fences. At first glance, the setup is impressive. Yet, inside, the scene is bleak: dry grass, rare plants, and abandoned plots. Only a storage building and a shed hint that the site was designed for long-term use.

Village chief Abdoulaye Ndiaye explains the reason for the blockage. Last year, the women had managed to cultivate a good portion of the land. But everything came to a sudden halt. “The field doesn’t have its own well. We depend on the village well, managed by Flex Eau. And the water has been cut off,” he laments. The cause: two unpaid bills totaling 300,000 FCFA. According to him, the town hall hadn’t budgeted for these expenses, and no clear agreement had been reached beforehand. “Flex Eau doesn’t wait for the harvest to cut off the water,” he adds bitterly.

Committed women, but powerless

On the ground, the disappointment is immense for the beneficiaries who had fully invested themselves. Mame Thiam Gueye testifies: “We are more than thirty women. We started market gardening and began producing. But in the middle of production, the water was cut off. We lost everything.”

Faced with the emergency, they are trying to maintain a collective dynamic through a weekly tontine. "This allows us to remain united, but this organization is not enough to compensate for the loss of market gardening. If we had been told from the start that we would have to pay for water, we would have been prepared," she laments.

A fatal lack of coordination

For Fatima Ka, the project remains a source of hope, but suffers from a lack of coordination among stakeholders. Although the nursery is technically ready, the absence of an irrigation solution is paralyzing operations. "This project could have a major impact if local authorities were more involved," she emphasizes.

Behind this 300,000 FCFA bill lie months of work, family income, and a local economic dynamic that have vanished. As a technician on site explains: "More than a technical problem, it's the question of sustainable management and foresight that's at stake. Without a quick solution, the fields will remain dry... and so will our ambitions."