In western Gambia, villagers in Kiang Jifarong are witnessing saltwater advancing into their traditional rice fields, forcing them to abandon generations-old farming practices. For a decade, rising salinity has transformed fertile lowlands along the Bintang Bolong estuary into barren land.
Farmers observe yellowing rice leaves and hollow grains, signs of saltwater stress that render crops unusable. Tombong Barrow of the Kiang Jifarong village development committee explained that the salt makes the grains “almost empty.” Veteran farmers Jonni Kinteh and Mama Njie reported abandoning their fields eight years prior due to repeated crop failures linked to salinity, noting that fields once farmed closer to the river have been “completely taken over by salt.”
Source: Mongabay