Families in Senegal's Casamance region are suffering large
economic losses after a 70 percent drop in mango production this
summer, due to last year's unusually warm winter. This year's
mango production in southern Senegal has fallen between 70 and
90 percent in some areas, says Mamadou Conte, the regional
director of rural development in Ziguinchor, the area's capital.
Conte says that from December through February, the cooler
temperatures usually provide the right climate for flowers to
bloom on the mango plants. But this year, he adds, the
temperatures were unseasonably high and flowers did not bloom.
The repercussions of a depressed mango crop can be severe on the
local population, adds Conte. Mangoes are one of the regions
primary crops. They not only provide a source of nutrition for
both people and animals in Southern Senegal, but they also
provide a source of revenue. Conte says during the summer
months, many farmers and their families typically sell their
mangoes and rely on the fruit for income. Thi