In the Boukitingho Valley, in Lower Casamance in southern Senegal, Hilaire Tokyo Diatta recalls the bitter memory of the ever-increasing intrusion of salt onto the land. "Every year, households lost plots of land to the salt. Rice plots were particularly affected," he says.
"Since we've had the benefit of the anti-salt dam, we have renewed our motivation to develop rice farming," continued Hilaire. "Much of the land has been reclaimed and the Boukitingho Valley is completely protected from salt intrusion. The area under cultivation is increasing year on year, as are yields."