Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik Cultural Landscapes

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik Cultural Landscapes from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Mise en évidence d’une Triade Glaciaire néoprotérozoique dans le secteur de Landiéné-Bandafassi, Bassin de Madina Kouta (Kédougou, Sénégal, Afrique de l’Ouest)

  A groundbreaking study identifies the first occurrence of the Neoproterozoic 'Glacial Triad'—comprising tillite, dolomite, and cherts—in the Landiéné-Bandafassi sector of Senegal's Madina Kouta Basin. This discovery, previously unknown in this region, provides critical stratigraphic markers for West African sedimentary basins, offering insights into ancient glacial deposits. The research involved detailed lithostratigraphic and petrographic analyses across ten sections, correlating findings with the well-studied Walidiala valley. Notably, the absence of Supergroup 1 and the continental nature of glacial formations in this sector were also highlighted, challenging existing models of depositional environments.

  Youm, C. I., & Sow, E. H. (2025). Mise en évidence d’une Triade Glaciaire néoprotérozoique dans le secteur de Landiéné-Bandafassi, Bassin de Madina Kouta (Kédougou, Sénégal, Afrique de l’Ouest). European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 21(12), 144. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2025.v21n12p144

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• Crop biocultural traits and diversity dynamics among Bassari farmers

  Bassari farmers in southeastern Senegal integrate both agronomic and socio-cultural traits when evaluating crops, revealing that no single biocultural trait alone determines crop diversity dynamics. This study introduces the concept of 'crop biocultural traits' to bridge social and biological dimensions, using participatory methods like interviews and workshops to assess six staple crops: sorghum, Bambara groundnut, fonio, maize, rice, and peanut. Findings highlight the complexity of farmer-crop interactions, emphasizing ontological pluralism and collective agricultural knowledge as essential for plant breeding and conservation efforts tailored to local needs.

  Porcuna-Ferrer, A., Guillerminet, T., Renard, D., Labeyrie, V., Leclerc, C., & Reyes-García, V. (2025). Crop biocultural traits and diversity dynamics among Bassari farmers. Agriculture and Human Values, 42(3), 1323–1345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-025-10725-0

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• Identifying Past Beer Production: Contributions from an Ethnoarchaeological Study in Bedik Villages, Senegal

  An ethnoarchaeological study in Bedik villages, Senegal, has identified key material indicators for detecting past beer production. The research revealed that specific pottery types—large vessels and small bottles—and distinctive use-alteration patterns, such as inner non-abrasive attrition, are the most reliable markers. Additionally, architectural features of beer houses (e.g., wedge holes for large pottery, altars) and the location of beer cooking areas outside residential compounds further support identification. These findings provide a robust framework for recognizing beer production in archaeological contexts across Africa.

  Debels, P., Vieugué, J., Pelmoine, T., Sall, M., & Mayor, A. (2024). Identifying Past Beer Production: Contributions from an Ethnoarchaeological Study in Bedik Villages, Senegal. Ethnoarchaeology, 16(1), 126–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/19442890.2024.2334509

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• Consistency in climate change impact reports among indigenous peoples and local communities depends on site contexts

  Consistency in climate change impact reports among indigenous peoples and local communities varies significantly by site context. A global study involving 1860 individuals from diverse cultural landscapes, including the Bassari Country, found that over two-thirds of individual reports aligned with site-confirmed impacts, with higher consistency for pastoralism-related changes compared to crop production or wild plant gathering. While factors like Indigenous knowledge and local roots did not universally influence consistency, site-specific conditions such as livelihood activities, socio-cultural settings, and environmental factors played a crucial role. This variation underscores the need to consider site contexts in climate change monitoring and adaptation strategies.

  Schunko, C., Álvarez-Fernández, S., Benyei, P., Calvet-Mir, L., Junqueira, A. B., Li, X., Porcuna-Ferrer, A., Schlingmann, A., Attoh, E. M. N. A. N., Carmona, R., Chengula, F., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Singh, P., Torrents-Ticó, M., & Reyes-García, V. (2024). Consistency in climate change impact reports among indigenous peoples and local communities depends on site contexts. Npj Climate Action, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-024-00124-2

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• Drought-tolerant indigenous crops decline in the face of climate change: A political agroecology account from south-eastern Senegal

  Historically drought-tolerant indigenous crops, such as sorghum, fonio, and Bambara groundnut, cultivated by the Bassari people in south-eastern Senegal, are declining despite their suitability for the region's predicted drier climate. This decline is driven by a complex interplay of colonial and post-colonial agricultural policies, market forces, outmigration, dietary shifts, and gender dynamics, which have favored water-demanding exotic crops like peanuts and rice. The study, employing political agroecology to analyze secondary sources and field data, reveals that current trends in crop diversity threaten long-term climate resilience. It advocates for a reorientation of research and policy priorities to support drought-tolerant indigenous crops, emphasizing the need to address cross-scale processes and power dynamics affecting agricultural practices.

  Porcuna-Ferrer, A., Calvet-Mir, L., Faye, N. F., Klappoth, B., Reyes-García, V., & Labeyrie, V. (2024). Drought-tolerant indigenous crops decline in the face of climate change: A political agroecology account from south-eastern Senegal. Journal of Rural Studies, 105, 103163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103163

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• Agricultural adaptation to multiple stressors in a climate change context

  Bassari farmers in southeastern Senegal are adapting to multiple stressors—including climate change, market integration, and cultural shifts—but these adaptations often come with significant trade-offs that may limit long-term sustainability. The study found that while strategies like crop diversification and plot relocation help mitigate challenges such as reduced precipitation and increased crop mortality, they also introduce economic, social, and environmental costs. Women and poorer households bear the brunt of these burdens, highlighting disparities in adaptation outcomes. Conducted through participant observation and 47 semi-structured interviews, this research underscores the need for adaptive strategies that address not only climate change but also broader socio-economic and cultural dynamics to ensure equitable and sustainable agricultural resilience.

  Porcuna-Ferrer, A., Guillerminet, T., Klappoth, B., & Schlingmann, A. (2023). Agricultural adaptation to multiple stressors in a climate change context. Routledge Handbook of Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, 227–243. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003356837-18

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• Traditional Pathway of Oil Extraction from Quassia undulate Seeds and Its Chemical Characteristic

  Research on the traditional oil extraction from Quassia undulate seeds in Senegal's Bassari Cultural Landscape reveals that the resulting oil shares physicochemical properties with shea butter, corn oil, and peanut oil. The study, conducted by four women from Eganga, Ethiolo, and Ebarack villages, found that the oil is solid at room temperature with specific acid (1.223 ± 0.013 to 7.333 ± 0.465), saponification (190.489 ± 3.083 to 199.732 ± 3.107), peroxide (4.453 ± 0.042 to 8.644 ± 0.285), and iodine values (21.455 ± 2.440 to 38.068 ± 0.082). The refractive index was measured at 1.462 - 1.463, indicating potential technological applications. Notably, Pilliostigma thonnintigi leaves were used during extraction, suggesting a possible influence on the oil's characteristics that warrants further investigation.

  Seyni, N., Mathieu, G., Samba, B., Bou, N., & Cyrille, A. N. (2021). Traditional Pathway of Oil Extraction from Quassia undulate Seeds and Its Chemical Characteristic. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 12(05), 452–461. https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2021.125035

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