A small food forest project in dry/wet central Africa

Just a little project I started this year in central Chad. Five swales. Tamarind and Parkia biglobosa in the swales, meant to eventually be filled with mulch. On the berms, a rapid drought resistent food forest of moringa, pigeon pea, Grewia tenax, cassava, and chaya. In between the swales is main crop space--sorghum this year,  with a certain taprooted senna interplanted for fertility (though I'm not sure if it will sprout;  a fantastic plant that grows and drops leaves all eight months of dry season without a drop of rain).

We have 80 cm of reason in four months; I've been watering by hand to give them a head start, but my hope is to not water after rainy season.

Suggestions welcome!

Hey...
Sounds good. I like your plant and tree choices.You mentioned senna interplanted with the crop. How does sesbania sesban do around there? And also faidherbia albida somewhere on swale or interplanted...It's really good for arid places and improving crop fertility.
Other thing I would like to ask...is it mainly a sorghum crop monoculture that is required or do you have the chance to break it up with some drought tolerant legumes like lentils?
Guess the only way to avoid watering after is to plant right at the start of the long rains. Don't know much about Chad's rain patterns. Do you have a rainy season coming up? Ours (Kenya) is just ending.
Good luck with it. Keep us posted.

Hey great suggestions Mara,

Sesbania Sesbania does OK here if it is watered, but I have planted a native Albizia (chevalier I think? ) that is doing really well in my yard so I could integrate that.

Faidherbia albida is native here so thanks for reminding me. It's super slow growing though. ..guess I should find some d ones in the capital !

The senna I'm talking about is actually a really low growing plant. I can't find a picture of it anywhere on the Internet though--but I'm sure it's a senna. I tried to post a picture of it, but apparently Google Drive links don't work on here.

I think I'll go out and interplant beans tomorrow!

And yes, we're just barely starting rainy season now. It will last til mid-September.

I'm sure we should have many common trees and plants though.

Woohoo! Finally got the pics up on the OP. Suggestions still welcome.

Looks good
There is another story somewhere on the site about a similar issue, in Africa