Senegal steps up push for food sovereignty with US$230M program

SENEGAL – Senegal is taking important steps toward greater food independence, following two key developments aimed at supporting its agricultural sector.

On April 25, the government officially launched the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), a US$230 million project funded by the World Bank and IFAD, while recent efforts to restrict food imports are already showing strong results for local farmers.

The FSRP will run until 2031 and focuses on modernizing farming and expanding irrigation. Mabouba Diagne, Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, said the six-year initiative is designed to “strengthen the resilience of agricultural systems by stimulating innovation and private investment.”

Among its key activities, the program will develop 1,000 hectares of modern farms for Community Agricultural Cooperatives and 4,700 hectares of irrigated land in the Senegal River Valley. It will also set up easier access to financing in agriculture, livestock, and research.

“With more than 600,000 direct beneficiaries, this program offers a concrete response to the challenges of climate change, access to water, agricultural modernization and food sovereignty,” a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The program aligns with Senegal’s recent commitments made at the “Dakar+10 Forum,” where leaders promised to expand irrigation to reduce the country’s risk of drought.

Despite these efforts, the road ahead remains long. As of 2022, only about 3.1% of Senegal’s cultivated land was equipped for irrigation, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Currently, Senegal’s agriculture sector contributes 17.4% to the national GDP and employs about 22% of the workforce. Yet, it still depends heavily on rainfall, making it vulnerable to changing weather patterns.

Import restrictions give farmers a boost

In a related move toward food independence, Senegal’s ban on onion and potato imports, which took effect on January 25, 2025, is proving to be a turning point.

The ban was put in place by the Market Regulation Agency (ARM) to protect local farmers from competition with cheaper imports.

“We are prioritizing the interests of Senegalese farmers. Our goal is not only to reduce import dependency but to empower local producers to thrive,” said an ARM spokesperson.

Four months later, the results are becoming clear. Onion and potato yields have reached local markets in larger quantities, and prices have stabilized. Farmers, especially those from the Niayes region and the Senegal River Valley, say they feel stronger and more secure in the market.

“The import ban is a timely intervention,” another ARM official said. “It has helped stabilize prices and allowed local producers to make fair sales.”

Last year, Senegal produced over 400,000 tonnes of onions and 160,000 tonnes of potatoes. With local demand for onions around 380,000 tonnes, the figures suggest that with the right support, Senegalese farmers can meet national needs without relying on imports.

Both the new agricultural investment program and the import policies reflect Senegal’s growing determination to build a strong and self-sufficient food system for the future.

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