With the support of sequa, IFOAM Organics International has been implementing a three-year PartnerAfrica project in Senegal in partnership with the Senegalese umbrella organisation for organic agriculture (FENAB). The measures are aimed at strengthening the federation to such an extent that it will be able to establish organic farming in Senegal in a sustainable manner. The project promotes approaches to improving competitiveness in organic farming and places particular emphasis on networking the actors along the value chain more closely in order to jointly create better framework conditions in organic farming.
The aim is to create new jobs and additional income generation in the organic farming sector.
Soil degradation is one of the biggest threats for agriculture in Senegal. Deforestation, soil leaching through decades of peanut cultivation, extensive use of pesticides and salinisation of the soil have destroyed the soil resources, so that large areas of land are affected by desertification. Organic farming can effectively counteract this trend and is not in contradiction to increasing agricultural productivity. On the contrary, it can make a sustainable contribution to food security and income generation in accordance with socio-ecological principles.
The project strengthens FENAB‘s capacity to advise smallholders on organic farming so that they can produce high-quality agricultural products in a market-oriented manner and using ecological and sustainable farming methods. Agricultural products that are certified by FENAB with the organic seal and through the alternative Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) achieve higher prices. The increased competitiveness and marketability of farmers also improves their income and employment situation and thus the attractiveness of working in agriculture.
