Our Story
CREATES was born from an encounter and a shared realisation: research and development in the Sahel deserve better than the short-termism of projects, imposed frameworks and unequal power relations.
Dr. Patrick Bottazzi
Scientific director of CREATES. Patrick has known Senegal for thirty years. Trained at the Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, he built an academic career spanning the Amazon and sub-Saharan Africa, devoted to natural resource governance and social justice. But after years of research caught in short funding cycles, one conviction took hold: science had to serve — rooted in the territories, at the service of communities.
Dr. Joan Bastide
Executive director of CREATES. Joan spent fifteen years between NGOs and academia, from fieldwork in Africa and Asia to a doctoral thesis on the aid system. This journey confronted him with the limits of "projectocracy": imposed formats, unequal power dynamics, aid that struggles to bring lasting transformation. From this fatigue came the desire to do things differently — through action-research, creative practice and territorial anchoring.
By a happy coincidence, Patrick and Joan found themselves neighbours in Senegal. From their exchanges grew the idea of a centre that would bridge science and action, local knowledge and innovation. In September 2024, they founded CREATES — with the conviction that lasting transformations can only come from the ground, carried by those who live there. This creation was made possible by the ARTS project (Agroecology for Resilient Territories in Senegal), funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the SOR4D programme. The ARTS project provided the opportunity to spend time on the ground, build strong networks with communities and territorial actors, and test participatory and transdisciplinary approaches. CREATES was born from the desire to make these results lasting — to transform the momentum of a research project into a durable anchor at the service of the territories.
Why CREATES
The Centre for Action-Research on Ecological and Social Transformations (CREATES) responds to the complex, interlinked challenges facing the Sahel region. Our work is grounded in the conviction that deep transformations can only emerge from systemic approaches that integrate social and ecological dimensions.
Transdisciplinary research to address complexity
The challenges facing the Sahel are increasingly complex, multidimensional, and multiscale. There is a pressing need for practical, systemic knowledge that addresses the interactions between social and ecological dimensions.
Local solutions, not imported blueprints
Africa has too often been a testing ground for top-down policies and decontextualized solutions. It is essential for solutions to emerge locally, through grassroots organizations and communities that possess a unique understanding of their challenges and aspirations.
Realigning research agendas
North-South research partnerships are predominantly led by Northern actors, creating a misalignment between thematic priorities and actual needs on the ground. CREATES aims to decolonize research and ensure it is contextually relevant and ethically conducted.
Beyond the project cycle
Development and research initiatives are too often constrained by short timelines, leading to disconnected projects rather than cohesive long-term strategy. CREATES favors continuous, cumulative engagement that values sustained impact and learning.
Breaking silos, building bridges
Development policies and practices are fragmented, marred by silos between science and policy, research and application, governance scales, and sectors. CREATES provides a nurturing environment for diverse stakeholders to converge, collaborate, and innovate.
The Centre
CREATES is a dynamic transdisciplinary hub actively engaged in research, education, and sustainable transformations.
Location
Headquartered in Thiafoura, Department of Mbour, Senegal, also serving as one of our living labs. The Centre currently operates from two decentralized sites, each encompassing sustainable management of resources, eco-habitat, agroecology, and renewable energy initiatives.
Status
CREATES aims to become a national NGO. Pending registration, it currently operates as an Economic Interest Group (GIE), and is also registered as an association in Switzerland.
Geographic Scope
Our primary focus area is West Africa. Our regions of interest also include the rest of Africa.
Funding
The centre operates in a flexible and agile manner, prioritising partnerships and collaborations, and developing a not-for-profit consultancy branch to ensure financial sustainability.