Photo © RET International

Article by RET Global Communications & RET in Mauritania

FASSALA, MAURITANIA – On July 15, 2026, refugee farmers from M’bera camp and host community farmers from Néré village came together for a hands-on exchange of agricultural knowledge, strengthening both their skills and their bonds as neighbors.

Mauritania’s Hodh Chargui region, where M’bera camp is located, is home to Malian refugees who have sought safety there since 2012, alongside the host communities that have welcomed them.

As part of the Model School (École modèle) pilot project, RET International continues to support the farmers of market garden perimeter n°1 in Mbera camp, a group of 181 members through technical and organizational capacity-building. 

On July 15, RET International, working alongside the organization CISP (which supports agricultural producers in Néré village, in the commune of Fassala), organized an exchange visit between producers from the camp and those from the host community. Representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, also took part.

Photos © RET International

The visit gave participants the chance to discover and share sustainable farming practices, including a practical training session on preparing Bokashi and Bostol, organic fertilizers made from locally available resources. These techniques help improve soil fertility, increase production, reduce costs, and promote environmentally friendly agriculture.

Discussions also covered the organization of farming groups, savings and credit mechanisms, plot management, crop rotation, and the marketing of market garden produce. Participants shared their experiences, identified practical solutions, and strengthened their knowledge together.

Beyond the technical exchange, the visit was an opportunity to build social cohesion between refugees and their host community. Participants committed to continuing these exchanges, organizing further meetings, and expanding their collaboration to sustainably improve their production and livelihoods.

This activity was carried out under the Model School pilot project, funded by the World Food Programme and implemented by RET International since December 2025, in M’bera Refugee Camp, Mauritania.

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