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PurposeThis study analyzed the state of broiler production in Senegal after nearly two decades of poultry import restrictions. It provides a synopsis of the Senegalese broiler value chain and evaluates the performance and economics of different broiler farm types.Design/methodology/approachA multi-stakeholder workshop and interviews were conducted with key informants to investigate the structure and activities of the Senegalese broiler value chain. The typical farm approach (TFA) was used to construct and analyze “typical” farms that represent the most common broiler production systems in Senegal.FindingsThe current situation in the Senegalese broiler value chain is favorable for hatcheries, feed mills, producers and poultry traders. However, the slaughterhouses are not faring well. The farm economic analysis demonstrates that typical medium-scale broiler farms are performing well, due to the use of high-quality feed, chicks and good husbandry. Additionally, the analysis revealed that feed and day-old chick (DOC) costs are the most significant in conventional broiler production in Senegal. Despite the high costs of feed and DOCs, broiler production is profitable for typical farms.Research limitations/implicationsAthough this study provides detailed insights into broiler farm economics in Senegal, it does not include typical integrated large-scale broiler farm-types. Based on our findings, we can predict that such farm types may be more efficient and have lower production costs due to the use of high-quality inputs (chicks and feed), and economies of scale. However, future studies will need to verify this prediction.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, only a few unpublished studies on broiler farm economics in Senegal exist. These studies only provide a basic analysis of the cost of production and profitability, with little consideration of various production systems. Contrastingly, this study provides a detailed economic analysis of different types of conventional broiler farms in key production regions.

Cassava plays an important role in improving food security and reducing poverty in rural areas. Despite its importance, its production in Senegal remains low compared to other African countries. Nowadays, it is confronted with numerous constraints. It is in this context that a study was conducted on the cassava production system in the Thiès "cassava granary" region, with the objective of examining farmers' cultivation practices. It was conducted in eight communes located in the department of Tivaouane, some of which are located in the Niayes agro-ecological zone and others in the central-northern groundnut basin. Surveys were conducted among the largest cassava producers in these communes. Analysis of the results showed that cassava is only grown in the rainy season with the same cultivation practices that have been used for years. Of the five varieties listed by the President of the Senegalese Cassava Interprofession, only four are grown in the areas surveyed. The Terrasse (43%) and Kombo (36%) varieties are grown more by our respondents in the Niayes area. Soya (75%) and Wallet "Parydiey" (20% of our sample) dominate in the central-northern groundnut basin.

Located at the doors of the Sahara Desert, the Senegal is an allogenic river originating in the Fouta Djallon (Guinea) in the Guinean subclimate (rainfall greater than 1000mm), crosses the Sudanian (900-1000mm), and Sahelo-Sudanian (500-900mm) influences before reaching the Atlantic Ocean under Sahelian (around 350mm) climate. This terminal section of the Senegal estuary is well known for its hydroclimatic variabilities, where the interaction between continental driving forces (ITCZ movements, harmattan winds, rainfalls) and Atlantic drivers (trade-winds, local wave climate conditions) influence the estuarine hydrodynamics. Results from geochemical analysis (grain size, elemental composition (XRF)) of the sediment cores collected during the flooding and dry seasons (August 2021 and February 2022) may give a better understanding of the alternating dominance of fluvial and marine hydrodynamics (including swells) dominance in the Senegal estuary over the recent period. Coupling this analysis with earth observation products may highlight the seasonality of the Langue Barbarie (sand spit) accretion/erosion cycles according to local variations such as bathymetry, wave climate variations, river discharges and human infrastructures.

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is a simple and inexpensive practice for restoring vegetation cover on degraded land, unlike reforestation. Current knowledge on the socioeconomic factors that may influence its adoption is limited. The objective of this study is to analyze the socioeconomic determinants of FMNR adoption by communities. 197 households were surveyed. The probit model was used to identify the socioeconomic determinants of adoption. The results show that ethnicity, access to external support, receptivity to technological innovations, mode of land acquisition and the importance of production are determining factors in the adoption of FMNR. According to farmers, FMNR contributes to improving soil fertility and soil moisture conservation (21% and 17% of farmers, respectively). According to them, the FMNR improves the supply of wood (18 %) and non-timber forest products (13 %). The main constraints to the scaling up of this practice are, respectively, illegal logging (42%), animal roaming (29%), and the difficulties of using animal traction in a farm having many trees/shrubs (12 %). These results provide an overview of the considerations to be integrated for the success of FMNR as a strategy to strengthen the resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate disturbances.

Summary data on small mammals can be publicly accessed via http://BPM-CBGP.science; International audience; Ornithodoros sonrai (O. sonrai) ticks are the only known vectors of Borrelia crocidurae, an agent of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) borreliosis. Rodents serve as principal natural reservoirs for Borrelia. Our research objective was to detect TBRF Borrelia and other zoonotic bacterial infections in ticks and in house mice Mus musculus domesticus, an invasive species currently expanding in rural northern Senegal. Real-time and conventional PCR were utilized for detecting Borrelia and other bacterial taxa. The analyses were performed on 253 specimens of O. sonrai and 150 samples of brain and spleen tissue from rodents. Borrelia crocidurae was found in one O. sonrai tick and 18 Mus musculus domesticus samples, with prevalences of 0.39 percent and 12 percent, respectively, as well as Ehrlichia sp. in one Mus musculus domesticus. Further, we were able to detect the presence of a potentially infectious novel species belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family for the first time in O. sonrai ticks. More attention should be paid to the house mouse and O. sonrai ticks, as they can be potential hosts for novel species of pathogenic bacteria in humans.

Cette étude a été réalisée dans le bassin arachidier du Sénégal, caractérisé par un système de rotation céréales/légumineuses en agriculture pluviale. Elle visait à analyser l’impact des équipements utilisés dans les exploitations agricoles sur les rendements des cultures. La méthodologie utilisée repose sur des enquêtes auprès de producteurs et des analyses économétriques de type log linéaire. Les résultats ont révélé un sous-équipement des exploitations agricoles dans le système pluvial. Le niveau actuel de mécanisation des exploitations a un effet positif sur la productivité de la terre mais les accroissements de rendement sont faibles et insignifiants pour l’arachide, le mil et surtout pour le maïs. L’étude a mis en évidence que, le niveau d’équipement actuel des exploitations, même doublés, ne favorise pas un accroissement significatif des rendements à l’hectare des différentes cultures dans le bassin arachidier. Cette étude renforce l’argument selon lequel, l’optimisation de l’équipement des exploitations agricoles en matériels agricoles joue un rôle déterminant dans l’expression du rendement et au final dans la productivité agricole.

International audience; The food issue related to population growth is at the heart of international sustainable development agendas and feeds the debates on the transitions to be undertaken or supported. Often defined in opposition to an intensive and capitalist agro-industrial pathway, the family farming model, which encompasses a set of farm types and farmers with varied profiles, remains difficult to consider in all its diversity due to its constant evolution. Some phenomena remain little studied, in particular the dynamics of land accumulation on farms identified in some sub-Saharan African countries. Our contribution, based on surveys conducted in Senegal, aims to characterize the profiles and modalities of access to land of 1399 farms, with the highest land concentration. At the scale of different agro-ecological zones, we show that the heads of farms with more than 3 hectares are mostly originating from the locality, cultivate family land and invest in agriculture income from this same activity. On the whole, these farms do not seem to be subject to a gentrification dynamic, characterized by investments by urban and rural elites, often not coming from the agricultural world, and who acquire land with non-agricultural income. With regard to land dynamics, surveys show that the majority of land remains under customary occupation although rural territories are in constant evolution. In a context where public authorities are emphasizing the need for agricultural intensification, through the promotion of private entrepreneurship and the agro-industrial sector, it is crucial to have a good understanding of the diversity of farm forms. This is all the more necessary as a land reform is under way and will help redefine the contours of the agricultural model, between productivity and the demands of sustainability and equity.; L’enjeu alimentaire lié à l’augmentation démographique est au cœur des agendas internationaux de développement durable et nourrit les débats sur les transitions à entreprendre ou soutenir. Souvent défini en opposition à un modèle agro-industriel intensif et capitaliste, le modèle des agricultures familiales, ensemble de types d’exploitations et d’exploitants aux profils variés, reste difficile à considérer dans sa diversité du fait de sa constante évolution. Certains phénomènes restent peu étudiés, notamment la dynamique d’accumulation foncière d’exploitations agricoles identifiée dans certains pays d’Afrique subsaharienne. Notre contribution, basée sur des enquêtes menées au Sénégal, vise à caractériser les profils et les modalités d’accès au foncier de 1399 exploitations agricoles, concentrant le plus de terres. À l’échelle de différentes zones agro-écologiques, nous mettons en évidence que les chefs d’exploitations agricoles possédant plus de 3 hectares sont majoritairement issus de la localité d’origine, cultivent des terres familiales et investissent dans l’agriculture des revenus issus de cette même activité. Globalement, ces exploitations agricoles ne semblent pas inféodées à une dynamique de gentrification, caractérisée par les investissements d’élites urbaines et rurales, souvent non issues du monde agricole, et faisant l’acquisition de terres grâce à des revenus non agricoles. Concernant les dynamiques foncières, les enquêtes montrent que la majorité des terres reste sous occupation coutumière bien que les territoires ruraux soient en constante évolution. Dans un contexte où les pouvoirs publics insistent sur les besoins d’intensification agricole, à travers la promotion de l’entreprenariat privé et du secteur agro-industriel, il est crucial d’avoir une bonne compréhension de la diversité des formes d’exploitations agricoles. Cela est d’autant plus nécessaire qu’une réforme foncière est en cours et qu’elle contribuera à redéfinir les contours du modèle agricole, entre volontés productivistes et exigences de durabilité et d’équité.

This article deals with the issue of the evolution of literacy in African national languages. It is about the existence/non existence of local literacy systems in black Africa. Findings show that there exist ancient unknown or neglected hieroglyphics which have been hidden by foreign languages. The history of literacy in national languages is a process that cannot be separated from the cultural and sociopolitical context which is not only related to latin characters borrowed from the colonizer. Black South Sahara Africa has also known a literacy system in national language based on a borrowal of Arabic characters.

International audience; While crop yields in Sub-Saharan Africa are low compared to most other parts of the world, weather-index insurance is often presented as a promising tool, which could help resource-poor farmers in developing countries to invest and adopt yield-enhancing technologies. Here, we test this hypothesis on two contrasting areas (in terms of rainfall scarcity) of the Senegalese groundnut basin through the use of a bio-economic farm model, coupling the crop growth model CELSIUS with the economic model ANDERS, both specifically designed for this purpose. We introduce a weather-index insurance whose index is currently being used for pilot projects in Senegal and West Africa. Results show that insurance leads to a welfare gain only for those farmers located in the driest area. These farmers respond to insurance mostly by increasing the amount of cow fattening, which leads to higher crop yields thanks to the larger production of manure. We also find that subsidizing insurance is not the best possible use of public funds: for a given level of public funding, reducing credit rates, subsidizing fertilizers, or just transferring cash as a lump-sum generally brings a higher expected utility to farmers and leads to a higher increase in grain production levels.

Background Up to now, efforts to help local communities out of the food-insecurity trap were guided by researcher (or other actors)-led decisions on technologies to be implemented by the communities. This approach has proved inefficient because of low adoption of the so-called improved technologies. This paper describes the strategic approaches to the development of a climate-smart village (CSV) model in the groundnut basin of Senegal. A CSV model is a participatory integrated approach using climate information, improved context-based technologies/practices aiming at reaching improved productivity (food and nutrition security), climate resilient people and ecosystem and climate mitigation. In this study, participatory vulnerability analysis, planning adaptation capacity and participatory communication for development were implemented, putting people affected by the impacts of climate change (CC) at the center of the approach. Four interdependent groups of activities/domains, namely—local and institutional knowledge, use of climate information services, development of climate-smart technology and local development plans, were covered. It was emphasized, how all this taken together could create improved livelihoods for women, men and vulnerable groups. Results The approach made it possible to involve local people in the decision-making process for the development of their adaptation capacity to CC. It also helped to set up an overall land management process by identifying and addressing environmental (sustainable resource management, ecosystem resilience) and socioeconomic (institutional organization, empowerment, poverty alleviation and food security) challenges. A monitoring survey revealed that farmers appreciate well this participatory approach compared to previous top-down approach in that the former allow them to own the process. Also determinant drivers of adoption of the technologies were identified. Conclusion Scaling this community development model in sites with similar climatic and socioeconomic conditions could help in contributing toward achieving food security in rural areas at wider scale because of better enthusiasm and engagement from rural farmers to pursue solution to their constraints taking into consideration constraints posed by climate and more need based and tailored advisory services.

Commercial Unmanned Areal Vehicles (UAV) are taking a flight: it has never been more accessible to own an UAV and as easy to operate one, e.g. a drone. For coastal monitoring these advances open a new world of monitoring such as inter-tidal beach topography through Structure for Motion. This paper aims to 1) show the potential of the UAV-based depth inversion with 2) limited georeferencing resources for rectification, comparing traditional field-based GCPs and fully remote standalone methods (few local GCPs and Google Earth derived GCPs) and a 3) novel automated error reduction inclusion for the breakpoint location. Unlike with shore-based cameras, image stabilisation is key airborne bathymetry estimation. At places that are hard to reach it is not always possible to get ground control points. We discuss the use of Google Earth to obtain ground control points. In all video-derived bathymetries obtained in this work, great overestimation of the depth is found around wave breaking which is often linked to a phase shift in pixel intensity (dark wave front to white foam). A new method to overcome phase shift issues around breaking is presented that results in a significant error reduction of 58% around the break point.

Ce rapport analyse les inégalités de revenu dans le bassin arachidier sénégalais, une des principales régions de production agricole pluviale du pays, qui concentre la plus une grande partie de la population rurale. Les données utilisées proviennent d'une enquête menée par le Projet d'Appui aux Politiques Agricoles (PAPA) auprès des producteurs de céréales et légumineuses. L'échantillon des producteurs du bassin arachidier compte 1770 ménages (dont 103 dirigés par des femmes). Le calcul du coefficient de Gini, l'analyse de sa décomposition par source de revenus et la caractérisation des sources de revenus ont permis de faire un état des lieux des inégalités. De façon globale, les résultats montrent un taux de pauvreté très élevé (90% des ménages en dessous du seuil de 598 FCFA (0,91€/équivalent adulte/jour) et des inégalités importantes : - En termes de revenus pour tout l'échantillon : le coefficient de Gini est de 0,44 (légèrement supérieur à celui du Sénégal qui était de 0,4 en 2011). Les revenus totaux annuels des 20% des ménages les plus riches sont dix fois plus élevés que ceux des 20% les plus pauvres. - Selon le genre du chef de ménage : un revenu médian par ménage significativement inférieur (407 500 FCFA/an contre 550 000) et un taux de pauvreté plus élevé (94% contre 89%) chez les ménages dirigés par des femmes (seulement 6% de l'échantillon). - Spatiale : il existe une hétérogénéité de revenu marquée entre département (3 fois plus élevés à Nioro qu'à Diourbel), mais ces inégalités inter-département sont plus faibles que les inégalités intra-département. Les inégalités sont également légèrement plus élevées dans les zones bénéficiant d'une pluviométrie moyenne plus forte. - En fonction de la qualité pluviométrique de l'année : on montre ici que les exploitations ayant connu en 2016 une pluviométrie meilleure par rapport à la moyenne connaissent un revenu médian et des inégalités de revenu plus élevés (+42% de revenu médian par rapport aux exploitations avec une année 2016 sèche et +17% d'écart relatif interquartile). Cet effet est encore plus fort si on s'intéresse uniquement aux revenus agricoles. Conformément à l'approche par les moyens d'existence, les inégalités de revenus se retrouvent également dans les principaux facteurs de production. Ainsi, les 20% des exploitations les plus riches ont une superficie 3 fois supérieure aux 20% les plus pauvres, elles ont également des meilleurs rendements agricoles dus notamment à une plus grande utilisation des intrants chimiques et du matériel agricole. Les plus riches ont également des revenus plus diversifiés même si les revenus agricoles restent dans tous les cas très majoritaires (part de 90% pour les plus pauvres contre 76% pour les plus riches) par rapport aux autres types de revenus (transferts, revenus non agricoles, revenus de l'élevage). Par ailleurs, l'analyse des élasticités Gini montre que seule une augmentation des revenus agricoles (en maintenant les autres types de revenus constants) permet de réduire les inégalités de revenus. La diversification des sources de revenus permet quant à elle de réduire les différences de revenus entre les zones de faible et de forte pluviométrie moyenne : on passe ainsi d'un ratio (revenu médian zone humide/revenu médian zone sèche) de 1,62 avec seulement les revenus agricoles à 1,14 en prenant en compte les autres sources de revenus.

Commensal rodents such as mice that live in the proximity of human are well-known pests that can transmit diseases to man. An agent-based model is presented to formalize the spread of rodents in human habitations. We focus in this paper on the specific behaviour of mice consisting in walking along the walls (thigmotaxis). In order to simulate this behaviour we combine a cognitive architecture with an algorithm simulating rodents’ moves following residential walls. The cognitive model and the ‘wall following’ algorithm developed are successively described. Simulation configurations are tested to evaluate the robustness of the ‘wall following’ algorithm alone. In a data poor context this simple combined algorithm, using a discrete space, fulfils the basic needs to simulate a plausible mouse activity, towards a detailed representation of mice moves within a fluctuating environment.

La sélection génétique est un moyen pour augmenter la productivité des races endémiques dans des environnements hostiles. La trypanotolérance du bovin N’Dama a été l’argument central de la mise en œuvre des programmes de sélection de cette race en Gambie, au Mali et au Sénégal. Ces programmes ont eu des trajectoires différentes selon les objectifs, le processus de conception et les stratégies développées. L’analyse de ces trajectoires aiderait à mieux comprendre leurs succès et leurs échecs. Pour ce faire, une étude comparative de ces programmes a été réalisée en se basant sur une littérature scientifique publiée et non publiée et des entretiens avec les acteurs. L’analyse a d’abord consisté à décrire chaque programme. Une discussion a ensuite été menée pour évaluer les facteurs de succès et d’échec. Cette analyse a montré que ces facteurs dépendent de l’intérêt des éleveurs en lien avec leurs objectifs de production et leurs pratiques, de la stratégie utilisée tenant compte de l’intégration ou non de la trypanotolérance dans les critères de sélection, et de la mobilisation des ressources financières et humaines. Ces programmes de sélection ont aussi généré un capital d’expériences, dont la valorisation permettrait d’améliorer les systèmes actuels et de bâtir des programmes durables de sélection pour les systèmes d’élevage à faibles niveaux d’intrants dans les pays en développement.

Thoreux, T.; Sakho, I.; Sall, M.; Testut, L., and Woppelmann, G., 2018. Trends in sea level around the Cap Vert peninsula, Senegal. In: Almar, R.; Almeida, L.P.; Trung Viet, N., and Sall, ...

Leptadenia hastata is the only bush that remains green during the dry season in the north-central part of Sahel in central Mali. The leaves are used as food especially by the black nomadic population. They are part of their ordinary diet, but especially important during droughts and in the lean season. They are furthermore considered by the population to be effective in a number of medical applications, such as treatment of malaria, diarrhoea and the closing and healing of the umbilical cord in newborns. Interestingly, L. hastata is also found to contain substances with estrogenic activity. They have a high content of beta-carotene and constitute a substantial complementary source of vitamin A. The antinutrient content is moderate to low., Leptadenia hastata est la seule plante demeurant couverte de feuillage au cours de la saison sèche dans la partie nord du Sahel située au centre du Mali. Les feuilles sont utilisées comme nourriture quotidienne, en particulier par la partie noire de la population de nomades et surtout pendant les périodes de sécheresse et de pénurie. Leptadenia hastata a aussi des usages médicinaux, entre autres pour le traitement du paludisme, de la diarrhée et pour le pansement du cordon ombilical des nouveau-nés. Leptadenia hastata contient des substances dont les propriétés sont similaires à celles des oestrogènes. Outre sa valeur alimentaire, sa teneur en beta-caroténoides en fait une source importante de vitamine A. Elle contient peu de substances non assimilables., Jacks Birgitta, Sall Moussa, Pettersson Anders. Leptadenia hastata - Ecology, use and nutritional value. In: Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 37ᵉ année, bulletin n°2,1995. pp. 37-50.