How Penda Turned a Dumping Ground into an Agroecological Urban Farm in Senegal
Penda's agroecological urban farm thrives amid the concrete sprawl of Thiès. Here, she cultivates fresh produce, rejuvenates the soil, and offers a vision of urban food systems that benefit the land, women, consumers, and youth.
It’s April. The temperature hovers at 104F (40°C). The ground feels hot beneath our feet, the wind is dry, and the air is heavy. Half-built buildings with brick and concrete walls line narrow sandy streets where women stride with heads held high and shoulders back, balancing fruit baskets atop their heads. The sky isn’t as gray as in downtown Thiès or Dakar, but pollution still lingers, with faint smells of burning waste. Gray baobab trees, their branches bare, and a few thorny bushes are the only vegetation dotting this quiet neighborhood. How can anything grow in these conditions? I wonder.
We’re on our way to visiting Penda’s urban agroecological farm with our local partner, Agrecol Afrique. Penda opens a small black iron gate set into a brick wall. As we step inside, we’re all in awe, witnessing a completely unforeseen green haven surrounded by concrete. Mint, parsley, cabbage, and lettuce stretch across the 750m2 plot. As we stroll through rows of onions and pepper, she takes us back in time, back to when the plot was a dumping ground.

From landfill to agroecological urban farm
A few years ago, this land was unrecognizable. Locals discarded their trash here, creating a serious health hazard. The stench, the flies, and the toxic runoff became a constant nuisance to the neighborhood. The landlord, increasingly frustrated by the unsightly mess, struggled to find a solution, as he wasn’t living there full-time.
At the same time, Penda fought for years to find land to grow her farming business with her son. Like most women in Senegal, she faced significant barriers to land ownership. According to a 2024 report by the World Bank, women make up 70% of the agricultural workforce in Senegal but own only 6% of the land. Land security is critical to enhancing their productivity and economic empowerment, but land in Senegal is traditionally a collective family asset under the control of the head of household: men.
Women like Penda have had to create their own strategies to overcome these constraints, such as collective purchases via credit and savings groups, or transforming neglected land.
When Penda saw the potential in this abandoned plot, she began cleaning up the site with her son Mohammed. Piece by piece, they removed trash and turned some of the collected waste into compost, preparing the land for future cultivation. They saw beauty and value in what many would have considered worthless.

Healing the soil with agroecology
Penda, already working with Agrecol Afrique, applied agroecological practices she learned through their hands-on workshops to restore the plot. By using compost, locally made biofertilizers, and plant-based bio-stimulants, she gradually revived the soil’s microbiome—thousands of organisms that help rebuild soil health and break down harmful substances, much like the cells that power our bodies.
With the help of Agrecol Afrique’s technicians, she ensured the soil was safe and nutrient-rich before planting. Slowly but surely, the wasteland transformed into a lush, productive garden. Today, Penda and Mohammed grow a diverse array of produce, including lettuce, onions, peppers, okra, cabbage, and papaya trees.
When the landowner returned, he was astonished by this refreshing new sight right under his balcony. Impressed by Penda’s success, he loaned her the plot for free. Later, he entrusted her with an adjacent piece of land, where she established a garden to provide for her family and the neighborhood.



Revitalizing urban spaces and communities with agroecological urban farms
Penda’s story highlights the broader benefits of urban agriculture—especially in places like Thiès, where rapid urbanization squeezes out green spaces.
Unchecked urbanization takes a heavy toll on soil and human health. As cities expand, fertile land is often paved over or built upon, stripping it of its ability to support natural ecosystems. Sealing the ground with impermeable materials like asphalt and concrete reduces its ability to absorb rainwater, increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding, as seen in the recent floodings in Spain.
Industrial and construction activities also pollute the soil with heavy metals and chemicals, compromising its fertility. The loss of agricultural land to urban expansion, combined with intensive farming practices, puts food security at risk. This erodes our ability to feed growing populations.
City gardens like Penda’s show how cities can reclaim degraded spaces to nourish urban communities while giving opportunities for women farmers to own land in the Global South.
Urban gardening also creates sustainable economic avenues. Small-scale producers can earn income from surplus harvests, reinvesting in their farms and communities. For instance, Penda participates in the weekly food markets organized by Agrecol Afrique in the center of Thiès. At this joyful community gathering, participants engage with local farmers to learn more about food grown agroecologically and how it affects their health.

Urban farming: an opportunity for youth in Senegal
A staggering 62% of individuals aged 15 to 34 are unemployed in Senegal, pushing young people to migrate to the capital city of Dakar or embark on the perilous journey to Europe to find work opportunities. But Mohammed, inspired by his mother’s success, decided to stay and work alongside her. This choice surprised his friends, who flocked to Dakar after college. Mohammed laughed; “I make more money than them, and now they all want to become farmers!”
He’s one of the many youths revitalizing the farming sector in Senegal, showing how agroecology can unlock fulfilling opportunities for the next generation.
Penda’s journey ahead
Despite her remarkable achievements, Penda’s future is still uncertain. Her agroecological urban farm is still on borrowed land, and the threat of eviction is a constant reality. She needs secure land ownership, funds to scale her production, and equipment to farm more efficiently. Without these resources, the progress she has made is at risk.
Donate to provide these resources to farmers like Penda. Each time you do, you enable us to empower communities to build fair, resilient, and regenerative local food systems where people and nature thrive.

Closing thoughts
On my last day in Senegal, I chatted with Mohammed at the local farmers’ market. He shook his head in disbelief, sharing how some of his friends had no idea how cucumbers were grown. “It should be basic knowledge,” he said. This made me think—do I know where all my food comes from?
Many of us have lost touch with the land that provides our food. Industrial agriculture, long supply chains, and urban living have distanced us from the farmers who feed us. Yet, for much of human history, communities maintained a close connection to the soil. People understood the seasons, the toil behind each harvest, and the importance of healthy ecosystems. This cultivated a sense of gratitude for all the Earth provides in abundance – a sense that Indigenous and farmer communities still cherish daily.
As consumers, we have a decisive role: by choosing local agroecological produce, we nourish our bodies, care for the planet, and support the farmers who grow our food. Every purchase is a vote for a food system that values people and nature. Next time we pick up that vegetable at our local market or store, let’s ask ourselves: where does it come from? How did it grow? And how long did it take to reach this shelf?
About Agrecol Afrique
Agrecol Afrique is committed to promoting agroecological farming practices across Senegal. The organization specializes in increasing organic vegetable production through home gardens, women’s market gardening groups, and connecting organic producers to local markets. Its work spans the regions of Diourbel, Kaffrine, Tambacounda, Thiès, and Ziguinchor, where dedicated local teams lead the implementation and monitoring of programs and projects.
Agrecol Afrique supports women to adopt agroecological innovations on their farms, enhancing their decision-making power, resilience to climate change, and access to essential resources like land, water, and farming inputs. The organization also helps women join savings and credit groups, known locally as calabashes, which strengthen their economic security and provide a collective platform for advocacy. These calabashes are closely tied to Agrecol’s market garden strategy, as many members cultivate shared plots. Additionally, Agrecol Afrique supports young people in launching agroecological micro-enterprises, helping them increase their incomes through individual sales and participation in weekend bio-markets.
Learn More: https://agrecolafrique.org/

About the author
Maylis Moubarak
Maylis is Groundswell International’s Storytelling & Communications Manager. She’s lived in eight countries and worked for multinationals, startups, nonprofits, and social enterprises across four continents. Prior to joining Groundswell International in 2024, she spent over eight years working in editorial content, communications, marketing strategy, and international events in various industries. She’s passionate about crafting stories that bridge borders and inspire audiences to support meaningful projects.