In Sandiara, the seed greenhouse bears witness to a particularly successful season. Led by Nicolas Sarr, who is in charge of production, the tour offers an insight into the diversity and vitality of the crops on display.
As we move through the plots, the lettuces catch the eye first: their flower stalks are now ready to open, heralding an upcoming seed production. A little further on, the onions, harvested two months ago are quietly continuing their cycle.
The fruit and vegetable crops also illustrate the site’s vitality. The Calabash tomatoes are developing well, whilst the peppers stand out for their abundance, literally covered in fruit. Around fifty aubergine plants are currently in flower, promising fine harvests to come.
Some crops face greater challenges: courgettes, for example, are still struggling to reach full maturity. But these uncertainties are an integral part of seed production and allow us to refine our practices over the seasons.
Other crops, however, are showing very good results, such as cucumbers, whose seeds are currently being harvested. The same is true for marigolds, which are also in the seed-production phase.
This diversity of crops and these encouraging results illustrate the potential of the Sandiara seed farm, established by The Ivory Foundation in collaboration with APAF and with teh support of Foundation Marie-Pierre Crosnier Mangeat.