Feed the Future Senegal Naatal Mbay Bulletin d’informations périodique

The project focuses on the development of small-scale rice processing units, known as décortiqueuses, which are crucial for transforming 77% of the region's rice production. According to a study conducted by the Centre de Gestion et d'Economie Rurale (CGER) in the Senegal River Valley, there are 570 small-scale rice processing units, with 458 functioning units, 62 units in need of repair, and 50 units that are no longer operational. These units are responsible for transforming 77% of the region's rice production, with 39% coming from the Dagana department, 27% from Podor, and 13% from the Matam/Kanel zone. The project has established partnerships with the Directions Régionales du Développement Rural (DRDR) of the southern forest zone to strengthen the complementarity and synergy of interventions on rice and maize value chains. Hamidou Baldé, DRDR of Sédhiou, emphasizes the importance of information sharing and collaboration between the project and the DRDR to improve the quality of data and support the development of small-scale rice processing units. The project has also implemented various activities, including the promotion of local rice, the development of drought-tolerant rice varieties, and the integration of insurance into credit systems for sustainable agricultural production. The project has formed agents of the DRDR of Sédhiou on index-based insurance, which is seen as a suitable solution for the context of climate change. The project has also organized an atelier to share the system of database tracking and guides on good agricultural practices with DRDR partners in the southern zone. The atelier allowed for the sharing of guides on good agricultural practices and the system of database tracking, which is expected to improve the follow-up of agricultural campaigns, detect shortcomings, and provide localized and reliable data. The project's approach is focused on sustainability and the professionalization of agricultural activities. The partnership between Naatal Mbay and the DRDR of Sédhiou aims to strengthen the DRDR's capacity to provide support and guidance to farmers and their organizations, improve the quality of data, and enhance the capacity of agents and organizations to manage statistics, production techniques, and good agricultural practices. The project has also formed agents of the DRDR of Sédhiou on index-based insurance, which is seen as a suitable solution for the context of climate change. The project's goal is to reduce the vulnerability of farmers to current risks and prepare them to respond to potential threats. The project's activities are focused on the development of small-scale rice processing units, the promotion of local rice, and the integration of insurance into credit systems for sustainable agricultural production. The project's approach is focused on sustainability and the professionalization of agricultural activities, and its partnership with the DRDR of Sédhiou aims to strengthen the DRDR's capacity to provide support and guidance to farmers and their organizations.