Savoirs locaux
Why training rural people in West Africa in advocacy: an interview with Illia Djadi
Illia Djadi, a former BBC journalist and advocacy expert, has provided several advocacy trainings to village relays of the Watigueleya Kèlê project (Climate Resilience in West Africa). In order to provide them with advocacy skills and techniques applicable at the local level, he gave a first training to villagers from the three project countries (Mali, Guinea, Senegal) in Bandafassi in
Presentation of the book Djiguiba Camara in the village of Damaro, March 2022
In March 2022, Marie Rodet and Elara Bertho presented the book Djiguiba Camara, Essai d’histoire locale (available in free access here) to the descendants of the Camara family in the village of Damaro, a partner of the Watigueleya Kèlê project. The book traces the long history of the Camara migrations, accounts of the founding of the village, resistance to French
Preservation of the Nakotou forest, around Damaro, Guinea, November 2021
Ansoumane Camara in the Nakotou forest, one and a half kilometres from Damaro centre. From now on, when a tree is cut down (for a funeral or other reason), the community obliges to reforest in the forest, in return. This forest has always existed and the climate is very mild. The aim is to reforest the whole of Damaro.
Mutual aid groups during the rice harvest, Mandou, Guinea, October 2021
The mutual aid group in the field of an inhabitant of Mandou during the rice harvest in the presence of the village delegate of Mandou, Moussa Camara. It is October and there has been no rain for a fortnight already. The youth are getting organised to help the owner of the field to face the challenges of climate change.
Growing okra in Bossoko, Guinea, November 2021
I am talking about agriculture: the cultivation of okra. Before, we used to grow long-lasting crops. For reasons of climate change and lack of water, I turned to okra, which lasts only two months and two weeks. Okra is useful in the sense that we eat it fresh, dry, with rice, fonio, to (food made from cassava). Once ground, we
Potato conservation techniques in Monzona, Mali, April 2022
After harvesting the potato in Monzona, here is how we dry it, preserve it and finally process it for family meals (couscous, cake, porridge). We remove the peel with a sharp knife, cut them into pieces as you can see in the photo and put them in the sun. A kilogram of fresh potato costs 100 CFA francs, while dried
Tree nurseries, Bouillagui, Mali, April 2021
The practice of tree nurseries has been an experience for us. Before, we used to go to Kayes to pay the nurseryman 1,000 or 1,500 CFA francs. In view of this situation, one day I took a decision with some of the villagers of Bouillagui: we collected rubber milk cans to put sand in them and we sowed some fruit
Using baobab leaves in Bougarila, Mali, April 2022
The men harvest the baobab leaves from the tree. The leaves are then dried in the sun and crushed by the women. The powder obtained is used in cooking.
Kayesinfos’ Facebook post on the workshop in Damaro, February 2022
Kayesinfos from Mali, partner of the Watigueleya Kélê project, promotes on its Facebook page the workshop held in Damaro, Republic of Guinea.
Collective village repertoires: the challenges of a collective digitisation in Damaro, Guinea
By Elara Bertho (LAM, Sciences Po Bordeaux), Co-investigator in SOAS research project: Watigueleya Kèlê, Equitable Climate Resilience in West Africa: A Comparative Research Action Programme (Mali, Guinea and Senegal) In a reflection on the notion of a collective village repertoire and its digitisation, I return to the research-action programme carried out with the Malian association Donkosira, which since 2017 has