AGRA

By Cheick Kane, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer – AGRA Mali

Across the Sahel, farmers stand at the frontlines of climate change. Erratic rainfall, soil degradation, and water scarcity continue to threaten agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods. Yet, in Mali, a centuries-old land restoration method is gaining renewed relevance—this time, powered by farmer training, local innovation, and structured support systems.

Half-Moon Technology: Traditional Wisdom, Modern Impact

Half-moon technology—locally known as demi-lune— is a simple but powerful land restoration technique that involves digging crescent-shaped basins in degraded fields to trap rainwater, restore soil fertility, and create microenvironments for crop production. In the regions of Koulikoro, Ségou, and Sikasso, this traditional technique is being revitalized and scaled through community mobilization and institutional backing, enabling smallholder farmers to rehabilitate barren lands and boost yields without costly inputs.

In practice, semi-circular basins ranging from one to two meters in diameter are dug on sloped or degraded land with the open side facing uphill. This design allows maximum rainwater capture. Drought-tolerant crops, trees, or grasses are planted within and around the structures. Over time, organic matter accumulates in the basins, improving soil structure and fertility while reducing erosion.

Its impact is both practical and profound. Farmers engaged through the project “Strengthening the resilience capacities of small farmers through the development of vegetable value chains,” led by ALPHALOG-YEREDON, and the initiative “Empowering Women and Youth: Strengthening Smallholder Farmers and Ecosystems Against Climate Change,” implemented by AMEDD, have shown that combining traditional knowledge with modern agronomic support can deliver measurable outcomes. In demonstration plots, similar exeperinceds have demonstrated that the half-moon structures helped retain up to 30% more soil moisture during dry spells. Also, farmers using the technique have reported yield increases of 60 to 100% compared to untreated fields. This is to say that with basic training, a single farmer can rehabilitate up to one hectare of land per season—boosting productivity, generating income, and creating opportunities for local employment.

Fatoumata Coulibaly, a farmer from Marobougou in Ségou, puts it simply: “My land was barren for years. Now I grow millet and sorghum. I even have grass to feed my goats.” Her experience is echoed across dozens of communities, where restored land is translating into improved food security, stronger livelihoods, and renewed hope.

A Scalable Model for the Sahel and beyond

While the technique itself is straightforward, its success lies in the way it is applied—through farmer-led action, shared learning, and effective collaboration between communities and technical partners. It is not only helping farmers cope with climate shocks but also shifting how degraded land is valued and managed.

This model is gaining traction beyond Mali. From Niger to Burkina Faso, and even across semi-arid regions of India and Latin America, water-harvesting techniques like the half-moon are being used to support regenerative agriculture, proving vital support for landscape restoration and food production. What distinguishes Mali’s experience is the way the practice has been embedded in wider efforts to strengthen local systems—combining agronomic training, data-informed decision-making, and supportive land management practices.

Despite its simplicity, half-moon technology is labor-intensive. To scale effectively, it requires strong community mobilization, local government support for incentives and land tenure clarity, and consistent technical guidance on design, spacing, and planting strategies. AGRA is working with partners such as IFDC’s Soil Value program to embed this technique within broader soil health and climate resilience programs—making it a central part of long-term strategies to strengthen food and water systems in the Sahel. These initiatives are part of a strategic vision to ensure that smallholder farmers are not only adapting to change but leading the way in restoring degraded ecosystems and building sustainable food systems.

A pathway to a sustainable and greener future

In the face of escalating climate risks, half-moon technology offers more than just a survival mechnism. It represents a practical, scalable pathway to regeneration. As Mali advances its Vision 2063 agenda, anchored in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land use, these simple crescent-shaped trenches may well become symbols of resilience, opportunity, and transformation—shaped by the hands of farmers and nurtured by the collective will to restore the land.

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