Implementation of the Composting Process and Application of Compost to Soil in Agricultural and Livestock Communities in Northern Senegal

The ongoing environmental challenges posed by soil degradation and desertification are of particular concern. This situation is particularly alarming in agricultural and pastoral areas in communities in northern Senegal, as it compromises the food security of human communities. Considering this situation, composting is regarded as a pivotal instrument within agrosystems, facilitating the utilization of organic livestock and agricultural waste for the purpose of transforming it into fertilizer for crop cultivation. Development cooperation projects sometimes involve the transfer of scientific knowledge to develop products adapted to the conditions of the area targeted by the intervention. The study aims to examine the basic properties of the soils, analyse the composting process and the compost, and evaluate the effect of the compost obtained on the soil within the framework of a development cooperation project. Sampling has been carried out in several agro-livestock communities in Northern Senegal; physical and chemical parameter analyses were carried out on materials in the composting phase, compost, soils, and soils amended with compost and manure. The results indicate that the soil dedicated to cultivation in the areas studied are characterized by a predominantly sandy texture and exhibit significantly low levels of nitrogen and organic matter. The resulting compost has contributed significantly to improving the soils where it has been applied and therefore improve crop production, thereby highlighting the Kanel region.