Oxfam has been working in Senegal since 1983.  Our early work concentrated on supporting national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community associations in rural areas.  We then moved into a second phase aiming to ‘develop an associative movement to alleviate poverty’, focusing on women and livelihoods in rural and urban areas, and linking community associations to national structures.

During the 2002 floods Oxfam provided emergency support to isolated farming communities in the north of the country. In 2005 the country programme was reviewed and a new strategic approach defined. Currently we have two main projects located in Saint-Louis and Matam in the north and Ziguinchor and Kolda in the south. 

Supporting access to markets for small-scale producers

In the regions of St-Louis and Matam, Oxfam is supporting local rice producers to help improve their access to livelihoods and markets.  Our efforts are principally focused on increasing the profits of small-scale producers (both male and female) at the level of their local markets.

Today, the regions of St. Louis and Matam harvest the majority of the rice produced in Senegal.  Rice forms the staple diet for Senegalese households and on average 600,000 tonnes are consumed each year. However, there is a serious marketing problem for local rice, and the producers in these regions are not able to support their families from this alone.

Through our Market Access Support Programme to Rice Farmers in Northern Senegal (PINORD), we aim to:

• promote access to markets for locally-produced rice,
• improve productivity on rice growing farms in the north;
• strengthen producers' capacities
• strengthen the economic and managerial capacities of female producers through the development of their entrepreneurship within the rice industry.

We currently work with five producer organisations on this project. They are: ADENA (Association pour le Développement de Namarel et villages Environnants), ASESCAW (Amicale Socio-Economique Sportive et Culturelle des Agriculteurs du Walo),  FAFD (Fédération des Associations du Fouta pour le Développement, FPA (Federation des Périmètres Autogérés), and UJAK (Union des Jeunes Agriculteurs Koyli Wirnde).

Supporting peace-building and conflict transformation

In 2004 the Senegalese government and the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MDFC) signed a peace accord raising hopes for reconciliation after more than two decades of conflict.  Oxfam has been carrying out peace-building and conflict management projects in Kolda and Ziguinchor since the early 2000s.

Through our PAISUD project (Support Programme to Peace Consolidation Initiatives), we focus on:

• contributing to the return and the consolidation of peace by supporting local initiatives for forgiveness and reconciliation
• the reduction of small arms proliferation
• the implementation of local peace committees building their capacity to peacefully manage local conflicts and fighting   against poverty through the funding of micro projects development for local population
• the revitalisation of income generating activities
• a massive commitment to the control arms campaign

We work with five local partners to implement this project. They are: AGADA ( Agir Autrement pour le Développement de l’Afrique), KABONKETOOR (meaning forgiveness in Diola – this a women’s organisation for peace),  AFRIQUE-ENJEUX, MJPI ( Mouvement des Jeunes pour l’Intégration), and WANEP Sénégal (West Africa Network for Peacebuilding).

Strategic alliances

We have strategic alliances with CONGAD, the national and international NGOs umbrella, and RADDHO (Rencontre Africaine Pour la Defense des Droits de l'Homme), taking into account their strategic position in Senegal and their experience in advocacy and lobbying.

Last updated: November 06