A land dispute has been shaking the population of the Pambal district, in the Tivaouane department, for about ten years. This area of the Niayes is ideal for market gardening.

Indigenous people are reclaiming their land, an inheritance passed down through generations, as part of a collaboration with private investors. "This was not a sale, but a partnership to develop certain plots of land," they reiterated.

Unfortunately, this partnership did not allow the local residents to cultivate their land for three consecutive years. During this time, they were deprived of their main sources of agricultural income, but received 10 million CFA francs in compensation from the authorities.

This year, some of them decided to return to farming, saying they were acting within their rights and according to the initial agreement. However, this initiative sparked new tensions between the various stakeholders in the partnership. To clarify the legal status of the plots and determine whether the resumption of cultivation complied with the established agreements, the residents involved were summoned to the court in Thiès.

These farmers denounce a lack of transparency in the management of the collaboration and believe their land rights must be fully respected. They also point out that this situation illustrates the difficulties rural populations face when collaborating with investors, particularly regarding monitoring and protecting their land rights.

In Pambal, the tension is palpable and rising, and the population says it is counting on swift intervention from the relevant authorities for a definitive resolution to this long-standing conflict, so that their land rights are not violated. These residents, who say they have no intention of harming investors, are demanding justice.