Casamance is known as the breadbasket of Senegal due to the beauty and fertility of its terrain. Its lush vegetation contrasts sharply with areas further north, notably the city of Dakar, where sand and sparse scrub predominate.

Sonko, national coordinator of NSS in Senegal, explains that her work aims to change attitudes towards agriculture and the role of women in protecting the environment. Her organization advocates sustainable farming methods, often based on indigenous customs. In her view, it is women who are best informed about these issues.

"It has always been indigenous knowledge and practices that have sustained food sovereignty, and this know-how is in the hands of women.... For me, ecofeminism is the appreciation of everything we have around us."

It hasn't always been easy for her to be an activist. Sonko remembers a debate that took place over ten years ago. A landowner in Sonko's village had allowed a few women to create a garden on his plot to grow food, which he sold and the women's families ate.

The women looked after the plants and trees for five years. The owner then ordered the women to leave the farm when the trees began to produce fruit. "He made the people who were doing all the work leave!" exclaims Sonko in disbelief.

She tried to persuade the owner, a prominent member of the community, to reverse his decision. He didn't. Instead, he encouraged those close to her to pressure her to change her mind. When she refused, she was excluded from community events, which is a high price to pay in a small village. She was silenced at town hall meetings. "They thought I'd come to mess with people's heads. They wouldn't let me speak for over two years. It was really painful for me.

But that didn't deter her. Her work and impact have grown ever since. She currently helps local organizations run agricultural initiatives that improve women's incomes.

"The ladies work really hard, and they don't get paid for their efforts. They do everything willingly, but they get no credit for anything they do."

One particularly successful enterprise, of which Sonko is particularly proud, is the manufacture of bio-fertilizers, which the women produce from cow dung for use in their fields and for sale to other farmers for 5,000 CFA francs a bag. She is also involved in the development of Sum Pack, an all-natural seasoning product made from local herbs, as an alternative to the bouillon cubes used by many Senegalese families to spice up meals, which have a high salt content that can lead to high blood pressure.

Today, Mrs Sonko is asking the Senegalese government for help in boosting Sum Pack production. She is also trying to change the law that prohibits farmers from using locally grown seeds. "We want them to change the legislation so that local production is encouraged," she continues.