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Raphael Belmin photography
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STORIES

  • In the foot steps of Madd pickers in Casamance
  • Fighting the mango fruit fly
  • Getting married in Casamance
In Casamance (Southern Senegal), the 15 August celebrations have a special flavour and importance.It is a time when many couples unite before God and the Diola community.While 94% of Senegalese are Muslims, Casamance has the largest proportion of Christians in the country.Parents, children, aunts, friends... People came from all over Senegal and even from abroad to attend the celebrations.The ancestors are also there, peacefully watching over the livingMadd lianas covering a large kapok tree.In the large trees of the Casamance forest (Southern Senegal), some young people do not hesitate to risk their lives......using vines as rope to reach the treetops...to pick a fruitDo you know that fruit ?It is called "Madd", also known by the Latin name of "saba senegalensis"It is a very widespread forest fruit in the tropical zones of West Africa.Its flesh is tasty but very acidic. Senegalese eat it with sugar, salt and chilli.Madd is found in urban markets between June and September, in the same season as the mangoThis fruit supports the livelihood of thousands of small retailersMadd picking is a culturally rooted practice in Casamance (Southern Senegal)Paul, a kid from the village of Affiniam in Casamance, often goes into the forest to pick MaddThe Madd grows naturally in lianas that climb the giant trees of the Casamance forestPaul does not hesitate to climb very high to reach the precious fruitIt is a success ! Paul returns home with his hands laden with fruitChildren are featherweight, so they can climb easily on Madd's vines.The most agile kids circulate from tree to tree at the top of the canopyThe oldest cannot climb anymore, so they use long bamboo poles to reach the fruitMadd is not the only forest fruit in Casamance. Pickers are also interested in tolls, ditakh, mangoes and many other fruits.The diola populations of Casamance largely depend on forest resources such as Madd for their food and their incomeBy selecting the trees that surround them, they have built a real "edible forest" over the centuries.Forests are also mystical places where the diola organise animist rites and ceremonies.The knowledge of the forest and conservation is a cultural heritage passed on from generation to generationHowever, the youngest are growing up in a forest degraded by overexploitation, bush fires and climate changeThe "Madd de Casamance" has just been recognized by a Geographical Indication, an origin-based quality label.The Geographical Indication label brings recognition for the typicity and the picking know-how linked to this fruit.Tahirou Kanouté (on the left) of the NGO ETDS has been fighting for years for "Madd de Casamance" to obtain this quality label.The "Madd de Casamance" protection and defense association is trainning a group of pickers in good harvesting practicesPickers came from all Casamance region to attend this trainingTo harvest the Madd well, it is important not to tear off the peduncle attached to the fruit. Otherwise the fruit may rot quicklyIt will be cut properly at post harvest stageGood harvesting and post-harvesting practices are essential conditions to ensure the quality and reputation of the Madd from CasamanceThis geographical indication could bring even more...Madd lianas depend on the presence of large trees.So the labeling of the madd could lead to an increased awareness on the conservation challenge of the Casamance forest.Ousmane Ndoye is a technician from the International Research Center for Agricultural Development (Cirad) who moves from orchards to orchards in the Niayes area, SenegalThe mango season is approaching in the Niayes, the fruits of the earliest varieties are almost ripeOusmane counts fruit flies caught in pheromone traps in 30 mango orchards scattered around Niaye areaIn each pheromon trap, he systematically takes a sample of the flies caught.The number of flies per trap is noted on a registerIn May-June, not many catches, but a wave of infestation is expected as harvest approachesThe fly bites the fruit to lay its eggs. The infested fruits develop larvae that cause the flesh to rot shortly after harvest.Mango sustains thousands of retailers, mostly women.In May, the mangoes currently on the markets come from Guinea, Mali or even CasamanceThe variegated colors of the fruits are not natural: due to the risk of bites, the fruits are often harvested when they are underripe and then gassed with ethylene by the retailers.Retailers must sell as soon as possible before the fruit rots in place.Retailers are posted along the Niayes road, an important transit corridor to Dakar for the marketing of fruits and vegetables.The CIRAD team in charge of the project has set traps in this market.Each year, mangoes from Mali, Guinea and Casamance are believed to be the cause of the rapid reinfestation of the Niayes area by flies.But this is only one of two hypotheses: (1) The transport of flies by air masses from equatorial Africa (2) The existence of residual foci in the Senegalese humid lowlands.Some orchards monitored by Ousmane are located on the side of the road: here, the fly traps set up by the researchers were stolen.As a result, researchers were forced to hide new traps at the top of the trees.Ousmane has to climb mango trees...The same protocol is applied at the treetopsThe trees are marked to find them more easilyFruits samples are also marked to be able to estimate pre-harvest lossesSamba Dia, a farmer in Mboro (Niayes area), loses each year a large part of his mango harvest to the fly. Fortunately, Samba does not put all its eggs in one basket: In his 7-hectare diversified farm, he combines market gardening, livestock farming and arboriculture (citrus fruits, mangoes, avocados, etc.).Here the motor pumps irrigate the crops and maintain the ambient humidity, providing favourable conditions for the proliferation of flies.Ousmane found more than 200 flies per trap during our visit, compared to 3 to 5 flies in the other orchardsSamba was harvesting his papayas, which are good alternative hosts for fruit flies.The harvest is immediately taken to the Mboro market, 1 km awayThe papaya contaminated by the fly will then contribute to the dispersal of the pestToday, Nino will marry Linda, the woman he has been sharing his life with for the past 6 years.The day begins with a long wait. While Linda makes her preparations, family and friends arrive in dribs and drabs.Many marriages are celebrated at the same time. So young people go from house to house to greet families and drink palm wine.The elderly sit quietly and wait for Linda to be ready to go to churchBut before that, long hours of hair and make-up for the brideThe bridesmaids should get beautiful tooEveryone gets their tray around 2pmIt's finally time, the bride leaves the house accompanied by a processionThe family hired a driver for the occasionStress rises before arriving at the churchThe church is packed. On this day of August, no less than 10 weddings are celebrated.Nino and Linda are there in the front row. They are waiting for their turn to say yes.During the ceremony, there are alternating moments of prayer and frenzied dancing.A dancer enters, wearing a hat of rice panicles. In the Diola culture, rice is a symbol of fertility and prosperity.At the back of the church, a group of old ladies enjoy the show more quietelyYoung girls prepared a guard of honour for the exit of the bride and groomOn the church square, rice is thrown at the bride and groom. The beginning of a new life full of promise.Linda embraces her little daughters in the midst of the packed crowdAugust is the heart of the rainy season.The rains come at regular intervals without affecting the celebrationsIn Diola society, a religious wedding is necessarily followed by a traditional wedding.The women of the bride's generation take all her belongings and walk from village to village to the family house of the new husband.On their arrival, they drop off the bride's belongings, and immediately, a very codified ritual begins.Young men of the groom's generation gather to welcome the girlsBut the girls refuse to let the luggage in without paymentTough negotiations then begin.The women stand together and remind the men of all that the bride will bring to the new household: work force, children, stability...The negotiations are regularly interrupted by dancing and singing.The drums resonate with the Diola songs in a torrid atmosphereA troupe of musicians livens up the ceremonyThe young people of the village follow the musicians with percussionsThe ambiance girls lead the way.The kids are getting into it, one day it will be their turn too.The rest of the family is attentively watching the process, the outcome of which is already knownSome guys drink themselves to exhaustion but keep on giving.They will drink without stopping for several days in a rowAn agreement has been reached! The boys' team drops 25,000 CFA and the deal is done.The bride's belongings then symbolically enter the new homeThe whole material life of the bride has now shifted home.

Madd lianas covering a large kapok tree.In the large trees of the Casamance forest (Southern Senegal), some young people do not hesitate to risk their lives......using vines as rope to reach the treetops...to pick a fruitDo you know that fruit ?It is called "Madd", also known by the Latin name of "saba senegalensis"It is a very widespread forest fruit in the tropical zones of West Africa.Its flesh is tasty but very acidic. Senegalese eat it with sugar, salt and chilli.Madd is found in urban markets between June and September, in the same season as the mangoThis fruit supports the livelihood of thousands of small retailersMadd picking is a culturally rooted practice in Casamance (Southern Senegal)Paul, a kid from the village of Affiniam in Casamance, often goes into the forest to pick MaddThe Madd grows naturally in lianas that climb the giant trees of the Casamance forestPaul does not hesitate to climb very high to reach the precious fruitIt is a success ! Paul returns home with his hands laden with fruitChildren are featherweight, so they can climb easily on Madd's vines.The most agile kids circulate from tree to tree at the top of the canopyThe oldest cannot climb anymore, so they use long bamboo poles to reach the fruitMadd is not the only forest fruit in Casamance. Pickers are also interested in tolls, ditakh, mangoes and many other fruits.The diola populations of Casamance largely depend on forest resources such as Madd for their food and their incomeBy selecting the trees that surround them, they have built a real "edible forest" over the centuries.Forests are also mystical places where the diola organise animist rites and ceremonies.The knowledge of the forest and conservation is a cultural heritage passed on from generation to generationHowever, the youngest are growing up in a forest degraded by overexploitation, bush fires and climate changeThe "Madd de Casamance" has just been recognized by a Geographical Indication, an origin-based quality label.The Geographical Indication label brings recognition for the typicity and the picking know-how linked to this fruit.Tahirou Kanouté (on the left) of the NGO ETDS has been fighting for years for "Madd de Casamance" to obtain this quality label.The "Madd de Casamance" protection and defense association is trainning a group of pickers in good harvesting practicesPickers came from all Casamance region to attend this trainingTo harvest the Madd well, it is important not to tear off the peduncle attached to the fruit. Otherwise the fruit may rot quicklyIt will be cut properly at post harvest stageGood harvesting and post-harvesting practices are essential conditions to ensure the quality and reputation of the Madd from CasamanceThis geographical indication could bring even more...Madd lianas depend on the presence of large trees.So the labeling of the madd could lead to an increased awareness on the conservation challenge of the Casamance forest.

Ousmane Ndoye is a technician from the International Research Center for Agricultural Development (Cirad) who moves from orchards to orchards in the Niayes area, SenegalThe mango season is approaching in the Niayes, the fruits of the earliest varieties are almost ripeOusmane counts fruit flies caught in pheromone traps in 30 mango orchards scattered around Niaye areaIn each pheromon trap, he systematically takes a sample of the flies caught.The number of flies per trap is noted on a registerIn May-June, not many catches, but a wave of infestation is expected as harvest approachesThe fly bites the fruit to lay its eggs. The infested fruits develop larvae that cause the flesh to rot shortly after harvest.Mango sustains thousands of retailers, mostly women.In May, the mangoes currently on the markets come from Guinea, Mali or even CasamanceThe variegated colors of the fruits are not natural: due to the risk of bites, the fruits are often harvested when they are underripe and then gassed with ethylene by the retailers.Retailers must sell as soon as possible before the fruit rots in place.Retailers are posted along the Niayes road, an important transit corridor to Dakar for the marketing of fruits and vegetables.The CIRAD team in charge of the project has set traps in this market.Each year, mangoes from Mali, Guinea and Casamance are believed to be the cause of the rapid reinfestation of the Niayes area by flies.But this is only one of two hypotheses: (1) The transport of flies by air masses from equatorial Africa (2) The existence of residual foci in the Senegalese humid lowlands.Some orchards monitored by Ousmane are located on the side of the road: here, the fly traps set up by the researchers were stolen.As a result, researchers were forced to hide new traps at the top of the trees.Ousmane has to climb mango trees...The same protocol is applied at the treetopsThe trees are marked to find them more easilyFruits samples are also marked to be able to estimate pre-harvest lossesSamba Dia, a farmer in Mboro (Niayes area), loses each year a large part of his mango harvest to the fly. Fortunately, Samba does not put all its eggs in one basket: In his 7-hectare diversified farm, he combines market gardening, livestock farming and arboriculture (citrus fruits, mangoes, avocados, etc.).Here the motor pumps irrigate the crops and maintain the ambient humidity, providing favourable conditions for the proliferation of flies.Ousmane found more than 200 flies per trap during our visit, compared to 3 to 5 flies in the other orchardsSamba was harvesting his papayas, which are good alternative hosts for fruit flies.The harvest is immediately taken to the Mboro market, 1 km awayThe papaya contaminated by the fly will then contribute to the dispersal of the pest

In Casamance (Southern Senegal), the 15 August celebrations have a special flavour and importance.It is a time when many couples unite before God and the Diola community.While 94% of Senegalese are Muslims, Casamance has the largest proportion of Christians in the country.Parents, children, aunts, friends... People came from all over Senegal and even from abroad to attend the celebrations.The ancestors are also there, peacefully watching over the livingToday, Nino will marry Linda, the woman he has been sharing his life with for the past 6 years.The day begins with a long wait. While Linda makes her preparations, family and friends arrive in dribs and drabs.Many marriages are celebrated at the same time. So young people go from house to house to greet families and drink palm wine.The elderly sit quietly and wait for Linda to be ready to go to churchBut before that, long hours of hair and make-up for the brideThe bridesmaids should get beautiful tooEveryone gets their tray around 2pmIt's finally time, the bride leaves the house accompanied by a processionThe family hired a driver for the occasionStress rises before arriving at the churchThe church is packed. On this day of August, no less than 10 weddings are celebrated.Nino and Linda are there in the front row. They are waiting for their turn to say yes.During the ceremony, there are alternating moments of prayer and frenzied dancing.A dancer enters, wearing a hat of rice panicles. In the Diola culture, rice is a symbol of fertility and prosperity.At the back of the church, a group of old ladies enjoy the show more quietelyYoung girls prepared a guard of honour for the exit of the bride and groomOn the church square, rice is thrown at the bride and groom. The beginning of a new life full of promise.Linda embraces her little daughters in the midst of the packed crowdAugust is the heart of the rainy season.The rains come at regular intervals without affecting the celebrationsIn Diola society, a religious wedding is necessarily followed by a traditional wedding.The women of the bride's generation take all her belongings and walk from village to village to the family house of the new husband.On their arrival, they drop off the bride's belongings, and immediately, a very codified ritual begins.Young men of the groom's generation gather to welcome the girlsBut the girls refuse to let the luggage in without paymentTough negotiations then begin.The women stand together and remind the men of all that the bride will bring to the new household: work force, children, stability...The negotiations are regularly interrupted by dancing and singing.The drums resonate with the Diola songs in a torrid atmosphereA troupe of musicians livens up the ceremonyThe young people of the village follow the musicians with percussionsThe ambiance girls lead the way.The kids are getting into it, one day it will be their turn too.The rest of the family is attentively watching the process, the outcome of which is already knownSome guys drink themselves to exhaustion but keep on giving.They will drink without stopping for several days in a rowAn agreement has been reached! The boys' team drops 25,000 CFA and the deal is done.The bride's belongings then symbolically enter the new homeThe whole material life of the bride has now shifted home.

Raphael Belmin photography
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