Senegal: How Peanuts Built and Broke a Nation
About this episode
This episode explores how peanuts influenced Senegal's history, economy, and society, highlighting key figures and events.
Why did a South American legume become the foundation of French imperial power in West Africa — and what did it cost the people who grew it? Who was Cheikh Amadou Bamba, the Sufi mystic the French exiled twice but could never destroy, whose followers built a religious empire on peanut fields? And how did a single crop simultaneously build the city of Dakar, finance two world wars, and trap an independent nation in a cycle of poverty it is still escaping today? Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of Senegal and the groundnut — the colonial railways, the Mouride brotherhood, and the tyranny of the peanut... ---------- In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh. The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here ! ----------- Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Support us! Share this episode with your friends Give a 5-star rating Write a review ----------- Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more. ----------- Instagram, TikTok, Threads…
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