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Casamance Grantmaking rationaleFor centuries, Casamance has attracted outside interest as the most agriculturally fertile province of Senegal. The French, English, and Portuguese colonial powers competed for control over the region’s natural resources and its people as a source of slaves, with the French becoming its rulers in 1838. As Casamance farmers supplied the rest of the nation with an abundance of food, their social, economic and political development was overlooked by the colonial powers. Even after Senegal achieved independence in 1960, the people of Casamance continued to be concerned that central government was not investing in their region in a way that was commensurate with their contribution. A sense of marginalization was felt particularly by Casamance’s Diola majority, who differ from the rest of the country in their cultural and religious practices, with a highly decentralized and egalitarian social system that gives women a central position. The twentieth century saw a growing movement for independence in Casamance, prompting increasingly forceful efforts by the country’s central authorities to maintain control. In 1982, a violent response by the army to demonstrators calling for change was the catalyst for an armed rebel movement that resulted in twenty years of bitter conflict and brutal acts of violence on both sides. This resulted in the destruction of many villages, the displacement of tens of thousands of people, and the stagnation of a once-vibrant local economy. With the arrival of a new president in 2000 and an exhausted civil society, calls for peace grew. Negotiations with rebel leaders led to the signing of a peace agreement in 2004. As peace becomes established, Casamance women and their families are returning to their villages and joining together to revive their communities, recommence agricultural production, and heal the wounds of violence. New Field is inspired by the energy and commitment of local peace-building and peasant organizations that work closely with rural women and their families to achieve positive long-term change in Casamance. Current
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