Climate-Smart Cassava: Boosting Food Security Through Year-Round Pit Cultivation in Senegal

To promote cassava pit cultivation—an innovative and climate-resilient production method that addresses water scarcity in the Sahel. Unlike traditional practices, pit cultivation is not dependent on seasonal rainfall, allowing for year-round production and strengthening food security.

Family farms, agricultural entrepreneurs, research institutions, agroecological actors, universities, NGOs, cassava seed multipliers, state services (e.g., Ministry of Agriculture), and municipal agronomists.

• Test the cassava pit cultivation prototype in the most suitable region for cassava in Senegal.
• Scale the prototype to all regions and develop a standardized national/regional protocol.
• Launch a pilot phase using the national protocol and finalize the innovation.
• Submit the method for official recognition and validation.
• Organize a national communication campaign to disseminate results and promote commercialization.

• Increased cassava production due to wider adoption of climate-resilient techniques.
• Eliminated dependence on seasonal rainfall through water-efficient pit cultivation.
• Economic growth through the emergence of cassava processing enterprises responding to rising supply.
• Strengthened resilience of food systems and enhanced year-round food availability.