A RIVER TO SURVIVE

SENEGAL

The Senegal river, with its 1,086 meters of length,  has always been a great source of life for the countries it passes through: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali and Guinea. A great percentage of drinking water comes from the river  and rural population mainly depends on agriculture and water availability. Nowadays the river basin is really threatened by drought and climate change. The Sahara desert sand is advancing inexorably.I took these photographs in Northern Senegal, in small villages spread out along the river bordering Mauritania, in the heart of Sahel region. From the rising of the sun to the sunset, the life of the inhabitants takes place along the river banks, and when the few bigger boats arrive from the delta it is a joy for everyone. How long will it last? The rains in 2019 decreased by 60% compared to the previous year. With the impossibility for peasants  to cultivate any type of product, there is the consequent increase  of hunger and malnutrition conditions.