During a visit to a biogas facility in the arid south of Senegal, Devex saw firsthand how biogas production is helping rural Senegalese communities tackle two of the most urgent issues facing West Africans today: energy access and the destructive effects of climate change.
Senegal’s population relies heavily on agriculture, particularly in rural areas where farms employ 75 percent of the workforce, according to the World Bank.
But the drying effects of climate change on once farmable land are decreasing yields, driving the rural population into cities. At the same time, less than 15 percent of rural Senegalese have access to clean, safe energy, and are forced to rely on expensive propane and nonrenewables for light and cooking. This biogas farm in southern Senegal is tackling these two dilemmas — which affect more than 800,000 people in Senegal alone — with the help of the Senegalese government, the European Commission and a few generous cows.
About the authors
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a former U.K. correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women’s economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
Naomi Mihara
Naomi Mihara is an Associate Editor for Devex, working on creative and audiovisual projects. She has a background in journalism and international development, having previously served as an assistant correspondent for Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun and as a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration in Southeast Asia. She holds a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University.