He wanted to leave, he chose the land: The courageous choice of Tahirou Diallo
In eastern Senegal, between Tambacounda and the Gambian border, agriculture is both a promise and a gamble. In a region marked by climate variability, pressure on natural resources, and the persistent pull of migration, succeeding in farming often requires courage. In Gouloumbou, in the commune of Missirah, Tahirou Diallo made that choice. A former migration candidate, he now leads the Kénié kéniéba economic interest group and produces dozens of tons of chili pepper, bananas, and vegetables each year. His story shows how climate-smart agriculture, supported by the AVENIR project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, can turn an individual journey into a collective dynamic and restore meaning to the decision to stay.
- Africa
- Climate Action
- Senegal
He wanted to leave, he chose the land: The courageous choice of Tahirou Diallo
In eastern Senegal, between Tambacounda and the Gambian border, agriculture is both a promise and a gamble. In a region marked by climate variability, pressure on natural resources, and the persistent pull of migration, succeeding in farming often requires courage. In Gouloumbou, in the commune of Missirah, Tahirou Diallo made that choice. A former migration candidate, he now leads the Kénié kéniéba economic interest group and produces dozens of tons of chili pepper, bananas, and vegetables each year. His story shows how climate-smart agriculture, supported by the AVENIR project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, can turn an individual journey into a collective dynamic and restore meaning to the decision to stay.
The day he decided to stay
The sun rises slowly over Gouloumbou. The first sounds come from the river, then from the fields. Tahirou Diallo walks confidently between rows of chili peppers. At 22 hectares, his farm commands respect. Yet things were not always so clear.
“There was a time when I was a candidate for migration,” he says frankly. Like many rural young people in Senegal, he once considered leaving. In the regions of Tambacounda and Sédhiou, migration is often seen as an escape from unstable agricultural incomes and economic pressure. Irregular seasons, declining soil fertility, and limited access to markets reinforce this sense of uncertainty.