Co-construction of development trajectories: Scripting workshop for resilient agriculture in Senegal
On March 28 and 29, 2024, the Phénix Somone hotel hosted the scenario session of the Core Group Agriculture Terre Eau, organized by the initiative for co-construction of low-carbon and climate-resilient development trajectories. This meeting brought together the Agriculture Land and Water Core Group and the resulting discussions are promising for the sustainable future of the Senegalese agricultural sector.
At the opening of the session, Ms. Dieynaba Sow, representing the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Tourism and Energy (MEDDTE), reaffirmed Senegal's commitment to this co-construction process, which has already enabled the development of the Long-Term Vision (LTV) and which will soon contribute to the definition of the Long-Term Strategy (LTS). This initiative aims to implement agricultural strategies that are both sustainable and resilient. to climate challenges.
The in-depth discussions made it possible to stabilize three main scenarios, in addition to the base scenario (BAU - Business as Usual). These scenarios include agro-ecological food systems, productivist food systems and integrated and sustainable food systems. Each of these scenarios was developed taking into account several key dimensions: food sovereignty, agricultural integration, climate action and inclusive entrepreneurship. The aim is to create an agricultural framework that not only ensures food security but also contributes to climate resilience and the creation of decent jobs.
One of the highlights of this workshop was the review and improvement of the transformations and action levers necessary for each scenario. For example, the fisheries and livestock subsectors were integrated more coherently, and a new finance-driven transformation was proposed. Among the key transformations identified, we find the improvement of access to land, the development of the integration of agricultural value chains, the sustainable intensification of agricultural systems, access and security of water resources, the reduction of agricultural production losses, and the promotion of sustainable and innovative financing models.
The workshop also made it possible to select priority sectors by eco-geographic zone, using criteria such as contribution to food sovereignty, agricultural integration, and climate action. This careful selection aims to ensure that efforts are focused on areas with the greatest potential for impact. An Excel file was created to evaluate the base scenario and serve as a reference for other scenarios.
Several key points were retained to ensure the consistency and relevance of the scenarios. This includes harmonization with other agro-ecological prospects for 2050, the integration of FAO principles on agroecology, and the consideration of coastal areas in the narratives. The next steps include sending official correspondence to the ministries involved, rating the sectors, and proposing sectoral indicators with quantitative objectives.
This workshop marks a significant step forward towards sustainable and resilient agricultural development in Senegal. Thanks to a collaborative and inclusive approach, Senegal is preparing to meet the challenges of tomorrow by building a future where agriculture is both productive, respectful of the environment and a source of prosperity for all. Stakeholders, including policymakers, farmers and civil society organizations, are invited to actively support this initiative.
