Abstract combination of collage and mosaic Rizière in Casamance by Lois Diallo

About "Abstract combination of collage and mosaic Rizière in Casamance"

by Lois Diallo

About the artwork

It took me a while to realise that a 'rizière' is not a slip of the French word rivière. No, rizière refers to rice fields in the Basse Casamance region of Senegal. This region has a long tradition of rice cultivation, which plays a central role in the local economy and culture. The rice fields are often irrigated by a system of dykes that protect the fields from saltwater tides. These dykes are traditionally made of mangrove poles, wickerwork and earth. Efforts to maintain these rhizieres and protect them from salinisation are vital for local communities.

Casamance is also experimenting with innovative farming methods, such as integrating ducks into rice fields. This method, which requires no chemicals, uses dung from ducks as fertiliser and contributes to a more sustainable form of rice farming. The initiative, supported by local partners and NGO's, aims to reduce labour intensity for women while improving rice production.

However, there are also challenges facing rice farming in this region. Problems such as salinisation and soil acidification have led to a decline in rice production and made some fields unusable. These problems are partly due to natural factors such as sea intrusion and oxidation of pyrite in the soil.

Conceived by Lois Diallo, visualized with AI.