ADERE is a program conducted by the Senegalese organization ASAFODEB based in Thies, Senegal. ADERE is a program in rural development with an overall mission focused on food security and reduction of poverty. There are 4 main axes:

1. Education
2. Organization
3. Restoration of the environment
4. Agriculture

ADERE hosts projects in 21 villages in the region, with activities and formation in each axe. For efficient implementation and dissemination, a strategic organization of community councils plays a fundamental role. There are three different types of the councils:

1. Toundi -This council is several villages of an area united in a inter-village committee for development.It is mainly focused on the management decisions of the land for local development.
2. CVD (Village development Committee)-Each village has its own council to take part in local consultation; all segments of the population are represented (especially women and youth).
3. Community Pilotage-This council is the framework for consultation between members of two rural communities.Every village has a member.It is also in charge of monitoring projects,as well as the opening and validation of program activities.

Axe 3. Restoration of the Ecosystem

There are two main components for restoring the ecosystem within the program ADERE. The first is educating the community, and the second is the physical restoration with the terrain. Educating the community focuses on conservation, protection of the environment, how to diagnose environmental stresses, and an overall awareness to causes and solutions of environmental problems. For each project a diagnostic is done to assess the environment and the situation. ADERE hosts three main restoration techniques:

1. Reforestation
2. Rock walls, to hold soil and change the path of water flows
3. "demi-lune", this is a hole that is dug in a strategic place that catches water run-off and flow and allows for more efficient peculation and groundwater regeneration.

The rock walls and demi-lune are often used together

Pictured here is the community in the village Pallo, constructing a rock wall. Before the project begins, a technician comes to observe the geography of the land, where the water runs off, after he/she guides the decision on the placement of the walls. This specific site is the ruins of an old calcite mine, that has left the land deeply eroded. Sacs of sand are placed under the rocks for a more secure hold.

Community in Action

Just before the walls, the community has dug the demi-lune to catch the majority of the run off. After some time, trees will be planted lining the wall, and in the space between the demi-lune and walls.

Everyone in the village participates, children, mothers, fathers, teachers, elders etc... Even people from the other villages, that belong to the same Toundi come to help. When this village is done, they will begin construction in the other villages. Construction is done in order of the degree of degradation.

With everyone helping, the walls are built fast.

Degraded land from a history of calcite mining

Construction

Everyone helps gathering rocks for the walls, digging the demi-lune and building the walls

Rock wall and demi-lune