Local economic development
in Senegal

In Senegal, agriculture remains one of the key sectors in the economy. It accounts for 60% to 65% of the country’s economically active population and provides the main leverage for the development of the crafts and industry sectors. The farm sector’s orientations aim for family operators to adopt intensive, diversified and sustainable agricultural systems that respect natural resources.

ON THE GROUND

The priorities of Uniterra’s partners are to increase and diversify income in family farm operations by improving the processing and commercialization of basic products (rice, peanuts, garden produce, grains). They also aim for recognition of the status of agricultural producers and farming operations as well as access to optimal factors of production.

This requires helping develop family farming operations to ensure food security and to reduce poverty among rural people in particular, notably through advocacy, strengthening the role of peasant organizations and support for intensifying and modernizing agriculture by promoting family operations.

In the last five years, Uniterra has helped obtain improved market access for two partner umbrella organizations (CCPA, AUMN), resulting in market gardeners seeing their income rise by about 30%. What is needed now is to broaden this access to a greater number of organizations.

UNITERRA’S PARTNERS IN SENEGAL

CCPA: Cadre de Concertation des Producteurs d’Arachide
FPA: Fédération des Périmètres Autogérés
CNCR: Conseil National de Concertation et de Coopération des Ruraux
AUMN: Association des Unions Maraîchères des Niayes
CNVAF: Convergence Nationale pour la Valorisation des Activités de Femmes
Réseau Siggil Jigeen
Government services in the agriculture sector including the Direction de l’Horticulture, the Direction de l’Analyse et de la Prévision Statistique (DAPS) and the Conseil National à la Sécurité Alimentaire (CNSA)