Saloum Delta: Towards the creation of a cooperative society for GECCOMs dedicated to mangrove conservation
Palmarin, Senegal: a significant turning point in the governance of grassroots community organizations and mangrove conservation has begun in the Saloum Delta. Wetlands International West Africa and Gulf of Guinea, as part of its Support for Community Resilience in the Saloum Delta (ARC-DS) project, organized a workshop to launch the process of establishing a cooperative society of Mangrove Conservation Savings and Credit Groups (GECCOM). This strategic meeting, held from September 15 to 17, is part of a drive to consolidate achievements in community development and sustain actions to protect mangrove ecosystems.
Launched in 2018 as part of the Mangrove Capital Africa (MCA) program, the GECCOM initiative aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities, particularly women, living in mangrove areas. This innovative, accessible, and environmentally friendly microfinance mechanism has grown rapidly: from 20 pilot groups in 2019, there are now more than 178 GECCOMs throughout the Saloum Delta.
The goal is to structure the groups into a formal cooperative society in order to ensure their sustainability, strengthen their economic and environmental impact, and provide a participatory governance framework.
The impact of the GECCOM initiative is not limited to the economic aspect alone. It also contributes to the conservation of mangroves, which are an essential natural barrier against coastal erosion, a strategic carbon sink, and a habitat for exceptional biodiversity.
Thus, under the impetus of Wetlands International Africa, the Saloum Delta is becoming a territorial model for community green finance, with women at the forefront of the challenge of ecological and economic resilience.
