The Golden Fields of Southern Senegal

The Magic of the Rice Fields in Abéné – a place where the harvest is truly celebrated

This past weekend, the long-awaited moment finally arrived: the rice could be harvested. A special time the entire community looks forward to. As soon as the first bundles of rice were brought in, the air filled with singing, dancing and rhythmic clapping. A wave of joy and gratitude you can feel deep inside – especially when you realise how rarely we experience something like this in the Netherlands.

A short glimpse into the rice harvest celebration in Abene, where the community comes together with music, dance and deep gratitude for what the land has given.

Here in Southern Senegal, the harvest is truly celebrated. Not just because it is tradition, but because life genuinely depends on it. “Food on the table” here means, quite literally: rice on your plate. The joy is collective, shared, and heartfelt. Everyone helps, everyone celebrates. It is a moment of pride, relief and deep connection.

And it reminds you how special it is to be grateful for what grows. Something we often take for granted back home.

From Seed to Plate: The Rice-Growing Process

Before rice ends up on your plate, an entire world of work, patience and nature comes first. It is an intense, careful and fully natural process – deeply dependent on the earth, the land, and above all, the rainy season.

1. Sowing – the beginning of the cycle

When the first rains arrive in June or July, farmers begin sowing rice. Most of it is done by hand, in a rhythmic movement, step by step. Slowly, the fields turn green.
The beginning of hope.

2. Caring for the young plants

As the rice starts to grow, the fields are kept free of weeds. Everything is done manually.
No machines, no artificial irrigation – just hands, sun, rain and trust.

3. Depending on the rainy season

This is the heart of the process.
A good rainy season means abundance.
A poor rainy season can be devastating.
Too little rain = a small harvest.
Too much rain = flooded fields.Every drop of rainwater is treasured.

4. Ripening under the sun

After months of rain, warmth and care, the fields turn golden. The rice plants grow strong and full – ready to be harvested. This is the moment everyone has been waiting for.

5. Harvesting – a celebration of life

When the rice is finally ready to be harvested, the celebration begins.
Singing, dancing and filled with joy, the rice is brought in together.
The land has given what it could.
The gratitude is immense.

6. Drying, threshing and hulling

After cutting, the rice is dried in the sun using simple but effective techniques passed down through generations. Then comes threshing (separating the grains from the stalks) and hulling (removing the outer layer).

Only then do you have real, edible rice – harvested with care, patience and collective effort.

A Lesson in Gratitude

The rice harvest in Senegal teaches us something important: nothing is guaranteed.
The food on your plate carries a story – of the land, the rain, and the people who work day after day for their community.

And perhaps that is exactly what we sometimes forget.
When you cook rice at home, you rarely think about the growing process, the effort or the joy of the harvest. But maybe it is worth pausing for a moment – to appreciate everything that comes before that single bowl of rice.

Here, gratitude is still celebrated.
Literally. With music, with dance, with togetherness.

Experience it Yourself

During our retreats and group trips in Southern Senegal, we take you into the heart of local life – including the rice fields, local traditions and the beautiful stories behind them.
Here, you feel the connection, simplicity and strength of living close to nature.

Would you like to experience the warmth, culture and nature of Southern Senegal yourself? Sign up for one of our retreats or group trips through link.