Well, I told her, did I have something to show them!  Over the next 24 hours we spent time catching up with each other, and then I began explaining the miraculous new concept in irrigation I had brought to show them.   I explained the system in the best French and Wolof I could muster, and showed pictures.  Khady feigned interest while she commanded the activities of the day, mainly getting dishes washed and preparing something to eat.  I knew I would have to demonstrate it to her to really get her attention.

The next afternoon, we went to a plot of land near the river, where we set up a temporary stand for a bucket I had drilled a hole in.  We hoisted the bucket, attached two fifty-foot irrigation tubes, and commenced filling the bucket with river water. The first bucket mainly filled the tubes with water, without actually wetting the ground too much.  The second bucket began the slow drip, drip, drip of the system.  Khady, Dana, a couple of other villagers and I watched, entranced, as the glistening drops of water gathered size and sunlight, slowly dripping to the sun-baked clay.  Tok-tok-tok they said, ('tok' is Wolof for 'drip') wondering if these drops would really wet the ground.

Khady went to get another bucket of water, so we could continue to watch as the system seemed to actually wet the soil.  We were all encouraged that the system might really work!  The next step was to identify some land to set up a demonstration of the system and eventually, a garden.  This proved to be a challenge in and of itself.  But, with the assistance and support of the village chief, a plot of land near the river was identified as the location for the demonstration garden.

Finally, on Monday, July 13 we prepared the soil for the first drip-irrigated garden in Breun. We started in the morning by collecting dried up pieces of donkey and cow manure, dried bamboo, and other plants from the river.  We put it all down and then shoveled sand/soil on top.  Then we wet the ground.  Finally, we tested the soil to see what was in it - nitrogen, potash, and phosphates; all necessary elements for a successful garden.  We found that the soil conditions were surpassingly good and only lacked potash, which we had taken care of with the bamboo, Inshallah. In the afternoon, we planted the seeds.  Once we had gotten the garden in order and the drip system set up, it did not take long before villagers started coming around to see a demonstration of the drip irrigation kits.  The system generated much excitement, as its success meant there was a possibility of producing vegetables to add variety and nutrients to their staple of fish and rice.  I had already explained my vision to Khady, that she could demonstrate the drip system to villagers, and as they grew interested, sell them the drip tubing, connectors, and seeds as a package.  I suggested that she sell each kit for 1000 Ougiyas, or five dollars. She thought about it for a minute, and then replied:  "If it works, I will sell it for 2000!" This was nearly my proudest moment, topped only by the planting of seeds in new drip-irrigated garden.

A week after we left Breun for Nouakchott, we received the exciting news about the garden:  some of our plants were starting to sprout!  While in Nouakchott, we demonstrated the drip irrigation system to a few Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as the APCD-AgroForestry Aw Mohamedou.  Overcoming their doubts, they agreed to demonstrate the drip system at an upcoming training in Boghe.

This fall, I received two letters and several Polaroid pictures from Khady.  She wrote me that the garden was doing well, but that she had changed the watering schedule so that she didn't have to return at night.  For some reason she is filling the bucket four times in the morning instead of once in the morning and once at night.  Perhaps the arid conditions and the altered watering schedule dictate greater amounts, but I also suspect that it is difficult to judge just how much to water, wanting to err on the side of too much rather than too little. In the second letter, dated mid-September, Khady informed me that they were beginning the harvest of the vegetables from the garden we had planted in July.  She sent a picture of a kohlrabi, a favorite vegetable of hers.

I believe in the system, and feel that it gave some hope both to my village family and to Peace Corps Volunteers in Mauritania.  I would encourage all readers of this article who have an interest in this type of work to support the adoption of this innovative technology by Volunteers and Mauritanians alike.  In order for the drip irrigation system to take hold, a continued commitment is essential.