Dodji
Encyclopedia
Dodji is a town in north central Senegal, with a 2007 estimated population of 8281. It is in the Louga Region
, Linguère
Department, and the Dodji Arrondissement, which consists of the Communauté rurales of Dodji, Labgar, and Ouarkhokh. Though a separate administrative unit, Dodji falls under the Commune
of Dahra - Linguère. As of 2007, Dodji's highest administrative official, (Président de Communauté Rurale) is Math Coueladio Ba, formerly of the Senegalese Socialist Party
, now allied to the ruling PDS
.
Dodji has a 5230 ft. long sand landing strip.
Dodji is situated in a semi-arid savanna zone, with few permanent settlements until the decades before the Second World War. The town was founded by young Wolof
members of the Mouride
brotherhood, as many areas in eastern Senegal previously uninhabited, were settled and communities established as part of the movements drive to find land and livelihoods for Senegal's population.
That Dodji remained an isolated backwater is evinced by the deportation of strike leaders from Dakar
to here after a general strike called by the Dakar branch of the Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Sénégal (UNTS) in May 1963.
The area around Dodji, historically very sparsely populated, has also been used by the French military as a live fire training ground.
cultivation, predominating in the west, has been transplanted here. Cattle herding has been plagued by problems of drought and access to silage in the region, tho the later problem appears less severe in Dodji. Attempts to aid farming have come domestically and internationally, as well as from local organizations such as the Association pour le Développement de Dodji et Yang-Yang (ADYD). The national government has recently completed a 5 km by 10 km, 15 billion liter reservoir for local farmers, and a number of international food security
projects use Dodji as a local base. The entire region has also been plagued by dry season fires in recent years.
Louga Region
Louga is a city and region of Senegal. The region is located to the northwest part of the country and Louga city is in the northwest of the region - about 50 km inland from the Atlantic coast.-Departments:Louga region is divided into 3 departments:...
, Linguère
Linguère
- Transport :The town was the terminus of a branch railway. The Train Station is now in ruins and the tracks are non-existent as they have been ripped up and used by locals as part of fences.- Infrastructure :...
Department, and the Dodji Arrondissement, which consists of the Communauté rurales of Dodji, Labgar, and Ouarkhokh. Though a separate administrative unit, Dodji falls under the Commune
Communes of Senegal
The Communes of Senegal are the fourth-level administrative divisions in the West African country of Senegal. There are 64 communes of Senegal which have urban status above the 100 Arrondissements of Senegal and 300 rural communes or communities which are administered by relative...
of Dahra - Linguère. As of 2007, Dodji's highest administrative official, (Président de Communauté Rurale) is Math Coueladio Ba, formerly of the Senegalese Socialist Party
Senegalese Socialist Party
Senegalese Socialist Party was a political party in Senegal. PSS was founded in July 1934 by Lamine Guèye, as a split from the French Section of the Workers' International...
, now allied to the ruling PDS
Senegalese Democratic Party
The Senegalese Democratic Party is a political party in Senegal. The party considers itself a liberal party and is a member of the Liberal International. Abdoulaye Wade, Senegal's president, is the party's leader...
.
Dodji has a 5230 ft. long sand landing strip.
History
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
members of the Mouride
Mouride
The Mouride brotherhood is a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent in Senegal and The Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city of Touba, Senegal...
brotherhood, as many areas in eastern Senegal previously uninhabited, were settled and communities established as part of the movements drive to find land and livelihoods for Senegal's population.
That Dodji remained an isolated backwater is evinced by the deportation of strike leaders from Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
to here after a general strike called by the Dakar branch of the Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Sénégal (UNTS) in May 1963.
The area around Dodji, historically very sparsely populated, has also been used by the French military as a live fire training ground.
Development
The climate receives 250-300 millimeters of rainfall annually, so most agriculture is limited to pastoralism, though peanutPeanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
cultivation, predominating in the west, has been transplanted here. Cattle herding has been plagued by problems of drought and access to silage in the region, tho the later problem appears less severe in Dodji. Attempts to aid farming have come domestically and internationally, as well as from local organizations such as the Association pour le Développement de Dodji et Yang-Yang (ADYD). The national government has recently completed a 5 km by 10 km, 15 billion liter reservoir for local farmers, and a number of international food security
Food security
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...
projects use Dodji as a local base. The entire region has also been plagued by dry season fires in recent years.