Senegal launches agricultural project for food security and financial power for people south of country
Ziguinchor, Senegal (PANA) - The African Network for Integrated Development (RADI), in its fight to ensure food security for vulnerable groups, launched Thursday in the region of Kolda, southern Senegal, an ambitious project title "BEYDARI-Kolda"or "a plus for Kolda" in the Pulaar language.The project, which will last 20 months, was launched in partnership with a non-governmental organization, CIVESMundi, and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), which is funding it.
According to the coordinator of the Legal Programme of RADI, Saly Thiam, the objective of this project is to help improve the living conditions and nutritional status of vulnerable households of local populations and, particularly, those of the Saré Bidji area.
This will be achieved by strengthening food production, processing and marketing of agricultural products in general and the promotion of quality and varied diet among beneficiary families.
A pilot farm and a processing unit for local products will be set up for the benefit of the populations of the villages of Méribé Demba and Diatoumane.
The mayor of the commune of Saré Bidji, Malang Mballo, was delighted by the arrival of this project which, according to him, will make it possible to realize an old dream.
According to him, the agricultural, poultry, fish farming and market gardening activities will undoubtedly allow the people of Kolda to improve their daily food, while strengthening their economic power.
To show their determination to take into account the concerns of the beneficiaries, RADI officials took advantage of this meeting to plan activities on the spot with the involvement of all participants.
The Kolda region is an agricultural area of the highest quality. Various food crops are cultivated by the population, including rice, millet, maize, sorghum, fonio, as well as commercial crops such as groundnuts and cotton.
It is also a breeding area, the region being the second sylvo-pastoral zone of Senegal.
But this does not benefit the populations who live in total precariousness due to their lack of development potential.
-0- PANA MAD/JSG/MTA/RA 25Sept2020
