By Omar Bah
A new rural development program is being launched to enhance national food and nutrition security and strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers against external challenges such as global price fluctuations, trade restrictions, and inflation. This initiative comes when the country’s reliance on food imports has increased.
The recent signing of a financial agreement to support the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) represents a significant step forward in enhancing national food and nutrition security and bolstering the resilience of smallholder farmers. The agreement, valued at €27.8 million, was formally executed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Senegal. The program aims to benefit 600,000 participants, including small-scale producers and processors, members of producer organizations, and micro, small, and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Senegal’s agricultural sector sustains 62% of the rural population and employs over 38% of the workforce.
Matteo Marchisio, IFAD Country Director in Senegal, highlighted that the FSRP is a comprehensive program encompassing all facets of resilience to external shocks and multiple dimensions of food insecurity, agricultural production, research, marketing, public policy, and financing. The program is of utmost importance for Senegal as it addresses the underlying causes of food crises and precludes food insecurity at a regional scale.
IFAD’s funding will be directed towards improving national food and nutrition security and bolstering the resilience of smallholder farmers. The focus will be on enhancing the capacity of producer organizations to implement climate-smart and agroecological practices and technologies. Despite the potential for local production to replace imports, Senegal’s economy relies heavily on agriculture. Yet, the country remains a net importer of food products due to population growth and urbanization.
The main goal of the FSRP is to strengthen food systems’ resilience, improve food production’s sustainability and adaptability, and promote the integration of the food market in the region. Notably, the project will be executed nationally to ensure that all areas of Senegal can benefit from its initiatives, with particular attention given to the western, Niayes, and southern regions.
