Although the Mandingues have a long tradition of rice cultivation in upland areas, they were unable to cope with the problem of salinity since they lacked the appropriate knowledge and techniques for dealing with irrigated rice cultivation. Other ethnic groups of the Oio region, like the Peul, couldn't help either. The Ballantes are not only experts in recovering saline rice fields but also in improving and enriching regained plots and making them viable again. Rice cultivation is the cultural heart of the Ballante and all traditional values centre around it. Techniques and know-how are inherited from generation to generation.
Rice is considered sacred as well as constituting the basic food crop.
It is important to recognise that the Mandingues also have a long tradition of upland rice culture with highly developed techniques and know-how of their own, but that their experience did not extend to rehabilitating salinised rice paddies. The Ballantes, meanwhile, have developed a several stage approach to paddy recovery. Over recent years, this has been shared not only with the Mandingues, but also with the Peuls and other members of KAFO in the Oio region. One important characteristic of Ballente recovery techniques is their ability to adapt to prevailing environmental conditions. They also recognise the importance of mangroves for successful rice cultivation - in terms of their valuable contributions to compost and in salinity control.