Our history
CREATES was founded in September 2024 in Thiafoura, near Mbour, Senegal.
Before CREATES
Dr. Patrick Bottazzi
Scientific Director
Patrick has known Senegal for thirty years. Trained at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, he is a researcher at the University of Bern. He works on natural resource governance and social justice, from the Amazon to sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Joan Bastide
Director of Development
A geographer and filmmaker, Joan worked for fifteen years between NGOs and research, in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Joan's doctoral thesis is about the international aid system.
Patrick and Joan ended up as neighbours in Senegal. Both saw the limits of two- or three-year research and development projects designed far from the field. The ARTS research project allowed them to work for three years in Mbour and Bignona with communities and local stakeholders. CREATES was set up so that this work would continue after the project ended.
Milestones
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April 2023
The ARTS project begins
Agroecology for Resilient Territories in Senegal, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the SDC (SOR4D programme). First assessments and workshops with stakeholders in Mbour and Bignona.
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September 2024
CREATES is founded
Patrick Bottazzi and Joan Bastide found the Centre for Action-Research on Ecological and Social Transformations.
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March 2025
Launch of the Bey Diiwaan project
With the Liechtenstein Development Service, on territorial governance and agroecology in Mbour and Lower Casamance.
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October 2025
Land in Thiafoura
CREATES settles in Thiafoura, in the municipality of Sindia. The land becomes the centre's living lab.
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February 2026
Launch of the NICE project
Workshops in Bambilor and Kaffrine to build agroecological value chains.
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March 2026
The ARTS project ends
The work with the DyTAELs of Mbour and Bignona continues within the Bey Diiwaan project.
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May 2026
The Ngaparou studio
Mariam Sow visits the TERAL living lab in Thiafoura, then records the first podcast episode in the new CREATES studio in Ngaparou.
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September 2026
White Forest and the podcast
Release of the documentary White Forest, screened in New York during Climate Week, and launch of the podcast Cultiver les Territoires.
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October 2026
The AgroVoices contest
A short film contest for young people in Mbour and Lower Casamance, with Mélanzé and the PRATAM network.
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Why CREATES
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01
Start from the field
Solutions come from the communities who live with the problems, not from imported models.
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02
Priorities set in Senegal
Much research is driven from the North. Our topics start from the needs of the territories.
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03
Work for the long term
A centre based in Thiafoura, rather than a series of short, unconnected projects.
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04
Link research and action
Researchers, farmers, elected officials and associations work together, from assessment to practice.
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05
Look at the whole picture
Land, water, food, climate and jobs are connected: we study them together.
CREATES today
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Thiafoura
Headquarters and living lab, Sindia municipality, Mbour department
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17
people on the team
Meet the team → -
7
ongoing projects
See the projects → -
4
territories: Petite Côte, Lower Casamance, Kaffrine, Bambilor