They say the marketplace is where the flavor of humanity rises to the surface.
Walking through the vendors' stands in Kolda, heaped high with fruits and
vegetables, it was easy to believe. Kolda, a commercial center in Senegal's
central Casamance region, has long known the power of trade, and its merchants
and artisans do business with Africans from throughout Senegal, the Gambia, and
Guinea Bissau.
The market stands in Kolda's Market Exposition were a proud display of the
variety and exuberance of Casamance's economic potential. The tables burgeoned
with local products, fruits, vegetables, and innovations. I saw several
varieties of natural honey, deep bowls of manioc and corn flower, and gorgeous
vegetables from corn to peppers and more. There were river fish on display in a
deep aquarium, deep baskets of colorful mangos, rows of bottled fruit juices,
and a trio of brightly-dressed women offering local, traditional dishes rich
with spices. One woman showed me packets of organic, natural medicines made
from the local moringa tree, which grows abundantly in the area.
But everyone I talked with told me the same thing: Casamance's production goes
largely to waste because it's too difficult to transport the products out of
town, and so sellers miss out on the chance to sell beyond their local region.
The business of buying and selling depends on transport linkages, and the
highway that threads forms the backbone of the Casamance is in bad shape at the
moment, victim of heavy rains and decades of neglect. No wonder then that the
Senegalese people consider it a priority.
A bad road impacts more than just farmers: I spoke with the president of a
cooperative of taxi drivers, who explained how much of a driver's meager
profits go to repair of their vehicles, which suffer mightily on the
dilapidated highway, and how hard it was to transport vegetables anywhere
without it arriving bruised and battered.
And easier transport through the Casamance will lead to better access to
schools, medical services, and businesses. Families separated by long distances
will find themselves connected again, and everybody will discover that the
Casamance, rich with produce and opportunities, is just a little closer than it
once was.
