Completed project

Bey Dunde “Cultivate to feed"

Senegal

Women’s Economic EmpowermentAdapting to climate change

Date

July 2010 to june 2017

Financial contribution

$ 6,792,398 CAD

Canadian International Development Agency ($601,398 CAD); International Agricultural Alliance ($136,000 CAD); Local partners ($55,000 CAD)

Consortium partner

International Agricultural Alliance (IAA)

Composed of CECI, Union des producteurs agricoles Développement international (UPA DI) and Société de coopération pour le développement international (SOCODEVI).

Impact for

600,000 people

The aim of the project is to contribute to Senegalese self-sufficiency in rice by supporting the National Rice Self-Sufficiency Program (PNAR). Its aim is to increase rice production in the self-managed perimeters of the Senegal River valley, in order to meet the needs of 600,000 people on an annual basis, particularly in rural areas. In particular, the intervention aimed to increase paddy rice production from 25,000 to 75,000 tonnes.

The Alliance agricole internationale (AAI) is a platform for mobilization and action for agriculture in developing countries, enabling CECI, the Union des producteurs agricoles Développement international (UPA DI) and the Société de coopération pour le développement international (SOCODEVI) to combine their experience and know-how to better contribute to agricultural development. In this project, the Alliance joins forces with local partners such as the Fédération des périmètres autogérés (FPA), the Société d'aménagement et d'exploitation des terres du Delta, the Caisse nationale de Crédit Agricole and the Partenariat pour la mobilisation l'Épargne et du Crédit au Sénégal.

Objectives

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Strengthening production services

The services offered by the FPA (Fédération des producteurs agricoles) and its member unions enable member producers to reduce their production costs and improve the conditions under which their products are sold. More than 11,000 agricultural producers, 23% of them women, benefit from FPA services.

Promoting sustainable practices

In addition, from a sustainable development perspective, Bey Dunde promotes good practices in soil fertility improvement and conservation, proper pesticide and fertilizer management, and water resource conservation. All these tools are necessary for the cultivation of the plant, which requires a high level of humidity and therefore a high consumption of water. Growing food with the environment in mind means growing food... for a long time.

A little seed goes a long way

Sustainable growth in Senegal

Rice. In many countries, the precious grain is gaining in popularity. In fact, over the past 15 years, Senegalese rice consumption has doubled. In fact, rice has replaced local cereals, particularly in rural areas, and now accounts for over 50% of household cereal consumption. However, production in Senegal, a large West African country, has not kept pace with growth in consumption. As a result, Senegal is a major importer of rice, greatly affected by rising world prices.

In order to reduce this dependence on Asian markets, the Bey Dunde project “Cultivating to feed oneself in Wolof” is helping to achieve rice self-sufficiency in Senegal.