Women's Entrepreneurship and Adaptation

This project is one of the 10 projects funded under the Canada Fund for African Climate Resilience Call for Proposals. It aims to strengthen the ability of the people of Senegal’s Saloum Islands to adapt to climate change with a particular focus on women's groups living in the villages of Dionewar Niodior and Falia. Lower annual rainfall over the last 35 years has contributed to desertification and reduced access to fresh water which has reduced food production adversely affected mangrove ecosystems and reduced biodiversity. All of this has contributed to reducing shellfish and fish stocks which are staple foods of these communities. This initiative seeks to promote the sustainable use and marketing of shellfish and fish stocks. The goal is to give local populations the opportunity to improve their economy ensure that people have access to sufficient safe and nutritious food and enhance the role and position of women in local communities. The project also seeks to transfer skills and expertise to direct beneficiaries and other stakeholders. The project works on three linked components: (i) improving the sustainable farming processing and trading of shellfish meat in the Delta of Saloum by the women's groups living in the villages of Dionewar Niodior and Falia; (ii) developing the capacity to host and promote ecotourism in the area; and (iii) increasing local employment opportunities for youth to prevent them from leaving for urban centers. The local partners for this project are the Institut Universitaire de Pêche et d’Aquaculture de Dakar the École Supérieure Polytechnique de Dakar and the Institut de Technique Alimentaire de Dakar.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (i) increased sustainable harvesting transformation and marketing of conchological resources such as shellfish by the women’s groups of the Saloum Delta villages of Dionewar Niodior and Falia; (ii) strengthened capacity for ecotourism through the support of women’s secular activities the natural environment and improved capacity for hospitality; and (iii) creation of equal job opportunities for young women and men in the Saloum Delta villages of Dionewar Niodior and Falia.