Project presentation
In Benin, women from the coastal villages of the Ouidah commune have been practicing salt production for generations. Between January and April, marshy soils dry out, making them suitable for creating brine. Traditionally, women use mangrove wood to boil the brine until the water evaporates, leaving only the salt. This step is particularly harmful to their health due to the smoke produced and threatens the region’s biodiversity because of intensive mangrove cutting. To preserve the shores, Beninese authorities banned mangrove cutting, affecting the work of salt producers, many of whom either stopped their activity or sourced wood from other villages.
The Humanitarian Association for Africa (AHPA), active in this region of Benin, aims to support these women in evolving their production practices to be more environmentally friendly, by using solar evaporation sheets instead of firewood. A first experiment in 2002 had not convinced the salt producers, but in partnership with CRIPADD, a Beninese NGO, and the Association des Etangs et Marais de l’Ile de Ré, an expert in salt production, AHPA relaunched the initiative. Early results were encouraging among a dozen women, before expanding to other salt producers. The technique used is safer for women’s health and better for biodiversity.
