Senegal
Creating Opportunities for Young Farmers - Training for Agro-Entrepreneurs in Senegal
Fit for Climate Change
Within the project, 20 women and men are trained in climate-resilient and sustainable farming methods as well as entrepreneurship. As trainers they pass this know-how on to family farms in the regions of Matam and Thiès.
Women in particular are to be empowered to defy the many challenges posed by climate change. They are given the entrepreneurial and technical tools to build a sustainable family business and thus a future. Over 950 families have already benefited from this training. The combination of climate-adapted agricultural know-how and entrepreneurship is intended to make people fit for climate change.
- Total Volume: 79,925 €
- Duration: 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2021
- Project region: Thiès and Matam, Senegal
- Project partner: Entrepreneurs du Monde, Beer Shéba
Financial support from the Bavarian State Chancellery
Project Description
The project regions of Thiès and Matam are dominated by agriculture. The smallholder family farms mainly grow subsistence products and products for the market. As the knowledge of cultivation techniques has been traditionally passed on in the family farms for generations, it is often not adapted to the new conditions and challenges posed by climate change. They simply do not know how to react to the new extreme weather events, such as increasing drought or heavy rainfall. As a result, their incomes are declining and the time between harvests is becoming increasingly difficult to bridge. Many young people often see no prospects in living in the countryside and thus migrate to the cities and neighbouring countries, or even make their way to Europe.
The project "Creating Opportunities for Young Farmers - Agro-Entrepreneurs in Senegal" addresses these challenges and includes the following measures:
1. Training
At the Beer Shéba training farm in the Thiès region, young women and men are trained as agricultural trainers. In the three-month course, they learn new agricultural cultivation and irrigation techniques. Particular of the training is that the agricultural methods are explicitly adapted to climate change and are thus intended to increase yields, despite climate change. In addition, the training teaches the basics of business management and entrepreneurship. This knowledge is often lacking to be able to competently offer products on the market and to successfully lead the family farm into the future.
2. Further Education of the Population
In the regions of Thiès and Matam, the trained agricultural entrepreneurs then pass on their knowledge to the population on agricultural demonstration plots. More than 950 families are already benefiting from this knowledge and are now able to grow their own produce in a climate-resilient and sustainable manner. They are able to increase their agricultural production for their own use and for sale, and thus improve their living situation.
3. Development of a Solar Pump
Simultaneously, a low-cost solar-powered water pump is being developed to provide year-round irrigation for multiple crop rotations. This will be marketed at a price that is affordable to low-income families.
Voices from the Project:
Thanks to Entrepreneurs du Monde, we received several trainings on cultivation techniques, pest control measures and constant support in the maintenance of the plots. We also received a donation of high quality seeds, the likes of which have never been seen before in our village. We were trained to prepare compost for soil fertilisation, which gave us exceptional yields this year.
Faty Mamadou Ndiaye, Mère Bollé
The project is being implemented by the URBIS Foundation together with the French NGO Entrepreneurs du Monde and the Senegalese Centre for Permaculture and Agroforestry Beer Shéba. It receives financial support from the Bavarian State Chancellery.
