“My name is Pape Abdoulaye Ba , and I am 30 years old.” Papa runs Tolou Keur, which means Field at Home in French, a small but growing market gardening business in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
The company specialises in the production, processing and marketing of organic produce. “We observed that many agricultural producers use chemical fertilisers, while most people do not have access to organic products,” he explains. “That’s why we decided to create Tolou Keur, a 500-square-metre farm where we grow natural salads, spices and vegetables.”
Papa joined the Kosmos Innovation Center programme to strengthen the business side of his idea. “The most valuable lesson I learned through the programme was project study and the use of tools such as the Lean Canvas. But above all, it taught me the importance of teamwork and determination.”
Those lessons were soon tested.
“Last year’s rainy season almost made me give up. We lost all our crops due to the rain,” he says. “We overcame this through commitment, love and passion, and fortunately we had saved some money, which allowed us to restart our activities.”
Through the Kosmos Innovation Center, Tolou Keur has become more structured and confident. “Our company has become more organised and professional, and we have met potential investors and partners,” Papa says. His proudest moments come when customers appreciate the freshness of their products and when the team was selected as one of the programme’s laureates.
Looking ahead, Tolou Keur aims to expand to one or two hectares of land to increase productivity and reach more households with locally grown organic food. Papa shares regular updates on TikTok and Facebook, where supporters can follow the farm’s progress.