Chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Dr Mabouba Diagne, the launch ceremony of the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in Diamniadio was marked by a clear, action-oriented vision for the transformation of agriculture. For Senegal, integrating phase 3 of the FSRP is an opportunity to build a more solid and sustainable agricultural future.
In a West African context often weakened by climatic hazards and economic tensions, a glimmer of hope shone through with the official launch of the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in Diamniadio. In his speech at the launch, the Minister Agriculture diagnosed the ills undermining Senegal's agricultural sector, such as dependence on food imports, youth unemployment and the effects of climate change. The FSRP thus represents a structured and regional response to modernise Senegalese agriculture and strengthen the resilience of food systems.
The programme aims to increase preparedness for food insecurity and improve the resilience of food systems in Senegal, while contributing to the preparation and management of agricultural and food crises, strengthening the resilience of agro-sylvo-pastoral production systems and facilitating trade in agricultural goods and inputs within and across national borders in West Africa.
To achieve this, the resilience programme takes a multi-dimensional approach, embracing all aspects of the agricultural value chain. This includes stimulating research and innovation, facilitating access to finance for producers, promoting agro-ecological practices, strengthening rural infrastructure, and fostering the integration of agricultural markets.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of the "attentiveness and flexibility" shown by the World Bank and IFAD over the past 12 months, enabling the project to be aligned with the new orientations of the President of the Republic and to better meet the needs of stakeholders in the agricultural and livestock sector.
The World Bank's representative, Aïfa Fatimata Ndoye Niane, began by emphasising the "immense potential" for transforming this collective undertaking. "The FSRP is not just a project, it is a shared vision for a resilient West Africa", she declared with conviction. This vision, supported by ECOWAS, CORAF and CILSS, aims to strengthen food security in the face of recurring crises.
The hope raised by the FSRP in Senegal is also fuelled by its recent restructuring, aimed at precise alignment with national priorities, in particular "Vision Sénégal 2050", focused on sovereignty and prosperity. "We have integrated the financing of agricultural cooperatives, because they are at the heart of the modernisation of the sector".
Community agricultural cooperatives at the heart of the strategy
The success of the transformation of agriculture lies in the development of community-based agricultural cooperatives. These cooperatives will be the basic units for pooling means of production, improving access to finance, facilitating training, formalisation, processing and marketing of agricultural products, while creating massive employment.
The FSRP plans to equip these farms with modern infrastructure such as boreholes, high-performance irrigation systems and generators, as well as connecting them to the national electricity grid. The aim is to turn these cooperatives into "agri-innovation hubs" for modernising agriculture and livestock farming.
By also targeting transhumance corridors, the programme aims to develop community agricultural cooperatives focused on livestock farming, thereby contributing to red meat self-sufficiency and local product processing, in order to curb the rural exodus.
To make this vision a reality, Senegal is committed to developing 1,000 hectares of modern, inclusive agricultural farms. "I am committing my entire department to making these 1,000 hectares a showcase for inclusive and sustainable modern agriculture", said Mabouba Diagne, who reiterated his gratitude to financial and technical partners, underlining their attentiveness, responsiveness and strategic support.
Speaking on behalf of the national coordination, Dr Mohamadou Lamine Dia highlighted the challenges and levers for successful implementation: "What we are launching today is not just a programme; it's a collective drive to transform the agricultural sector.
The FSRP will only succeed if every player, at every level, takes part in this mission in a responsible and coordinated manner". He stressed the importance of participatory, transparent and locally-based governance, while praising the flexibility shown by the partners in adapting the programme to national priorities, in line with Vision Senegal 2050.
