Project Update, March 19, 2020:
A growing number of farmers in rural Senegal are gaining access to water through TREES’ Loxo Loxo Project. So far, TREES has helped 1,714 farming families install water access points on their farms. With a ready water supply, farmers and staff report more frequent planting opportunities throughout the year.
“Water is essential in the Forest Garden system,” says TREES Country Coordinator Fatoumata Diedhiou. “Before Loxo Loxo, farmers relied on the rainy season to grow vegetables. Now, they can cultivate crops like onions and cabbage all year round. These increased yields provide more produce for the market.”
Read the original piece below for more on this project.
Project Update: March 21, 2019
TREES’ Loxo Loxo Project is bringing sustainable water access to Senegalese farmers. The team and project farmers have installed 330 water spigots on farmland, with 130 more scheduled for installation in the coming weeks. Resources and capacity exist to expand this number further.
“Senegalese farmers have worked tirelessly to secure this vital resource. Their efforts are evident in the rapid installation of 330 spigots within just three months,” says TREES Executive Director John Leary. “We are thrilled with the project’s progress and look forward to seeing improved growth in Forest Garden crops.”
Read the original piece below for more on this project.
Original Publication, January 30, 2019:
Water as a Key Resource
Trees for the Future’s (TREES) Forest Garden Approach teaches farmers how to get the most out of a vital resource – water. Water must be considered at every step – from selecting the right tree varieties to choosing the right nursery location, to planting at the right time. TREES technicians teach farmers to use agroforestry and conservation techniques to get the most out of available water and encourage healthy growth. They teach farmers to plant rows of trees around and throughout Forest Gardens to cool the land, slow the wind, reduce water evaporation, and recharge groundwater. Technicians also show farmers how to make compost and apply mulch to trap and conserve soil moisture where it’s needed most. But despite teaching farmers to use every water conservation technique imaginable, water is still the top barrier inhibiting families and farms from reaching their full potential.
“Water has come up as a key limitation in just about every focus group, farmer visit, and partnership discussion I have had in Senegal in the last 15 years.” says TREES Executive Director John Leary. “A rain-fed Forest Garden gives chronically-hungry families many more options for what to eat and sell, increasing their income by 3, 4 or 5 times.” explains Leary. “But it takes running water to enable the farmer to make the astronomical jump in income we see with the Forest Garden Program’s highest income-producing farmers.”
Addressing Water Challenges with Loxo Loxo
Catalyzing development that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable has required Trees for the Future to expand its role beyond the Forest Garden. The same farmers taught to plant trees are also taught to form savings groups and install sustainable water systems in the TREES program. By adding some of these key capabilities to the Forest Garden model, Trees for the Future is building a network of thousands of sustainable farmers with the potential to transform degraded landscapes from an expanse of parched fields to a flourishing collection of lush, green farms.
Many past water projects in Senegal have had mixed results. Often, a single water access point serves an entire community, leading to overcrowding. Farmers clear nearby land for cultivation, large herds gather to drink, and people travel long distances for access. This intense activity depletes soil nutrients, accelerates evaporation, and ultimately creates a ‘circle of death’ around the water source.
The solution lies in expanding access beyond a central source and implementing conservation techniques. In 2018, TREES launched the Loxo Loxo Program to bring sustainable water access directly to 600 Forest Garden farming families. This initiative enables farmers to unlock their full earning potential while maintaining environmental balance.
(Learn more about the ‘circle of death’ in John’s book One Shot.)
The key to sustainable water is to expand access beyond the main source and practice techniques that conserve water on the surface and restore water below ground. With these challenges in mind, TREES launched its Loxo Loxo Program in Senegal in 2018 to help 600 Forest Garden farming families bring a sustainable, lasting water source directly to their farms and unlock their earning potential.
How Loxo Loxo Works
Sustainability and education drive TREES’ initiatives, and Loxo Loxo is no exception. In Wolof, the local Senegalese language, “Loxo Loxo” means “hand-in-hand.” The program works collaboratively with farmers to connect their fields to an existing water grid. While current pipes bring water to the village outskirts, Loxo Loxo extends this supply directly to Forest Gardens.
TREES funds 50% of the project in partnership with the Tony Robbins Foundation, supplying PVC pipes and spigot equipment. Farmers contribute tools, materials, and labor to install the system.
Out of nearly 2,000 families participating in TREES projects in Senegal, over half live close enough to the water network to benefit from Loxo Loxo.
“Communities across Kaffrine’s landscape are talking about Loxo Loxo,” explains Fatoumata Diedhiou, the Senegal Program Coordinator who oversaw the launch of the program. “We quickly registered about 600 families in December and we will complete over 267 installations in the next two weeks.”
To date, the team has installed 70 water access points in just a few weeks. The first 300 installations are expected to be complete by the second week in February, with enough equipment to complete another 200 installations in the coming months.
Empowering Women Farmers
The Loxo Loxo Program also takes care to work with a typically disadvantaged farming group – women.
“We are especially focused on helping women through Loxo Loxo ” explains Fatoumata. “They are traditionally responsible for collecting water, watering gardens, and preparing meals. Running water will make their lives easier, and sales from vegetables and fruit trees will pay their water bill.”
Training for Sustainable Water Management
TREES continues training farmers to manage their water resources effectively. Financial readiness workshops help families budget for monthly water bills. Additional training covers best practices in water conservation. It incl such as watering in the mornings and evenings, avoiding overwatering, and using mulch to retain moisture near plant roots.
Once the pilot phase of the Loxo Loxo Program concludes, TREES will assess its successes and challenges. The goal is to determine if the program can be expanded to existing and future Forest Gardens across Sub-Saharan Africa.