Agricultural cooperatives boost farmers’ incomes in Senegal

DAKAR, May 6, 2025 – Agricultural cooperatives supported by the West Africa Competitiveness Support Programme [PACAO-Senegal] are improving yields and increasing incomes for farmers across Senegal, according to local officials and beneficiaries.

In Lompoul-sur-Mer, a town on Senegal’s Grande Côte north of Dakar, farmers say they are witnessing the benefits of joining formal cooperatives, with improved access to quality inputs, technical support, and markets.

The Bamtaré Thiepp Lompoul Cooperative Society, established in 2021 with the support of PACAO-Senegal through the International Trade Centre [ITC], now unites 26 producer organisations representing over 1,700 farmers.

“Before PACAO-Senegal’s intervention, we harvested onions early to meet debt obligations. Now, through the cooperative’s bulk purchasing system, we get inputs at lower costs and can wait for full maturity,” said onion producer Sala Sow, Vice Chairwoman of the cooperative.

The cooperative is one of 29 market-oriented groups created in nine regions, including Dakar, Thiès, Louga, Saint-Louis, Matam, Fatick, Kolda, Ziguinchor, and Sédhiou. The initiative is funded by the European Union.

Malick Bâ, a veteran onion farmer and chairman of the cooperative, said the new structure has improved coordination and sector advocacy.

“This cooperative is a first for us. Previously, we were in small, disorganised groups. Yields were low, and we had no collective bargaining power,” Bâ said.

Other farmers, including younger entrants like Aliou Bayal Sow, also report improved productivity and financial literacy. Sow, who returned to farming in 2015 after his father’s death, said the support from PACAO-Senegal has transformed his outlook.

“Previously, we worked with little knowledge. We experienced major losses,” he said. “Now we have access to quality seeds, and we’ve been trained in farming techniques, accounting, and business management.”

A key driver of the cooperative movement has been e-RSCOOP, a digital registration platform launched in 2021 under PACAO-Senegal. The platform has streamlined the formalisation of cooperatives, with 1,661 registered to date.

“With e-RSCOOP, registration is seamless. It is transforming how agricultural cooperatives operate and grow,” said Oumar Mbengue, Regional Director of Rural Development in Dakar.

The impact extends beyond crop farming. In the poultry sector, cooperatives are enabling members to reduce costs and build financial reserves.

“Previously, working informally made inputs like feed and chicks expensive,” said Maodo Yauck, President of Senegal’s Poultry Entrepreneurs Cooperative. “Now, buying in bulk has made our operations more efficient.”

As agricultural cooperatives continue to expand across Senegal, stakeholders hope the model will support long-term rural development, improve food security, and reduce youth migration from farming communities.

https://thecooperator.news/imf-grants-senegal-credit-extension-until-january-2023/

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