We discovered that zucchini grew lush and abundant over there but then Simone told us that it was useless to cultivate them because few wanted to eat them. I wondered how it was possible that the sautéed zucchini did not charm the Burkinabé.

Another huge obstacle that we encountered was in spreading the health-conscious criteria of green architecture. Not that we wanted to export our models, but it seemed absurd that the traditional houses, with cool roofs made of straw and leaves, were abandoned in favor of roofing made of sheet metal that transformed the houses into solar ovens. But the tin roof required a lot less maintenance and had become a status symbol …

We tried to tackle the issue in an indirect way making a chicken farm, chicken breeding being a popular activity in the area: chicken is considered a luxury and a delicacy. But local chickens were all incredibly thin. It was not difficult to understand why they were so emaciated: the chicken coops were also covered with sheet metal, therefore the chickens lived in perennial saunas which reached extremely high temperatures. Quite soon we saw that those reared in the rising collective farm were much fatter and lively because a roof made of straw and wood was used instead of the sheet metal and it protected them from the sun. A relatively simple task that did not require money but only work. But the idea struggled a lot to spread.

While operating in Burkina Faso we came to realize that it was difficult to communicate, collaborate or exchange experiences even among different groups of aid workers.

A Swiss arrived in Alcatraz, he had been working for years with a Swiss non-profit organization that operates right in Burkina.

Thus we found out that they had made a colossal operation: they regained 3,500 hectares (35 million square meters) of land in process of desertification, thanks to a technology invented by Professor Venancio Vallerani ,University of Perugia (only about a stone’s throw from Alcatraz) .

This system is based on an innovative type of plough which ploughs deep creating a line of half-moon holes. The land thus overturned forms a mound at the side of the hole. The furrows are oriented in such a way that the piled-up soil shade the half-moon hole ((image from the book third world eco-technology)). In this way the furrow collects rainwater and a small quantity of moisture is retained, thorny, creeping, particularly resistant plants are sown in the half-moon holes and they are able to quickly push their roots deep.

Within a couple of years these plants grow out of the hole and can cover the space between the furrows, shading the soil and favoring the growth of weeds, insects, fungi and bacteria come and the soil retains moisture thus returning to be fertile. Then fruit-bearing plants and trees are sown in the hole. An extremely efficient system but which was almost unknown in the world of cooperation.

We began to discuss the situation, consulting with many associations and organizations to try to understand which were the initiatives that we could achieve and would bring the best results. Our goal was to contribute to spreading the best practices both among the local population and in the world of non-profit organizations. And we soon realized that it was not going to be easy to figure out what to do and then manage to carry it out.

Also because our means were very limited.

But as it often happens, by constantly attempting you end up having a stroke of luck. It’s a matter of statistics rather than skill.

Insisting is an excellent way to bring fate on your side.