TITLE:
Sustainable Reclamation of Salt-Affected Rice Schemes around Lake Guiers through an Integrated and Climate-Resilient Approach
AUTHORS:
Babacar Kane, Papa Madiama Diop, Moussa Dieng, Mame Farma Ndiaye
KEYWORDS:
Integrated Management, Salinity, Rice, Phosphogypsum, Compost, Small-Scale Mechanization, The Lake Guiers, Senegal, Soil Restoration
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment,
Vol.15 No.3,
July
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: Soil salinity is a major constraint to the sustainability of rice cultivation in the Senegal River Valley, particularly around the Lake Guiers, where nearly 66% of irrigated land is affected. The reclamation of these salt-affected areas is therefore essential for improving rice productivity and strengthening national food security. This study evaluated an integrated strategy combining a salt-tolerant rice variety (ISRIZ 10), organo-mineral fertilization, and mechanized land preparation. The experiment was conducted in Mbane using a randomized complete block design with three treatments: T0 (farmer’s practice: DAP + urea), T1 (T0 + compost + phosphogypsum + mechanized land preparation), and T2 (T0 + compost + mechanized land preparation). Soil physico-chemical analyses and agronomic observations showed that integrated reclamation practices significantly improved both soil quality and rice performance. Soil organic carbon and organic matter increased in the surface layer, whereas sodium content decreased by more than 92% in the 10 - 30 cm layer. Mechanized land preparation also reduced weed pressure and improved seedbed quality. Treatment T1 showed the best agronomic performance, with grain yield exceeding that of the farmer’s practice by more than 15%. These results demonstrate that the combined use of a salt-tolerant variety, compost, phosphogypsum, and small-scale mechanization is an effective strategy for rehabilitating salt-affected rice fields around the Lake Guiers. Because this approach is sustainable, replicable, and climate-resilient, it has strong potential to improve rice productivity and enhance food security in West Africa.