ICA Senegal: 2020 updates
In Senegal, ICA started its operations in 2015 and is coming to a close in 2021. Let’s take a little step back and review the latest achievements of the programme!
Key sector strategy
In Senegal, the ICA programme directly support the PSE and in particular the Plan d’Action Prioritaire Ajusté et Accéléré de la phase 2 du PSE. Further, FAO continues to advocate for the need of a dedicated strategy on rural youth employment within the forthcoming National Employment Policy, building on the draft of Politique pour l’Emploi Décent des Jeunes au Milieu Rural developed with FAO support in 2017 at the request of the Ministry of Youth, but not yet adopted.
Technical support
- Modèle d’Insertion et d’installation des Jeunes Agripreneurs (MIJA)
After piloting it in 2017, ICA Senegal has consolidated the MIJA model for sustainable rural incubation and service provision for youth agripreneurs, in partnership with the Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de l’Emploi des Jeunes (ANPEJ). The 3 platforms of Mbilor, Leona and Silane have been made fully operational and the MIJA training package has been completed, including modules on horticulture, poultry farming, cattle fattening, aquaculture, horticulture, agricultural transformation, entrepreneurship and marketing.
20 MIJA Trainers have been selected and a trained in November 2020, while a cohort of 20 return migrants (of which 6 women) and 65 local youth beneficiaries (of which 14 young women) have been trained for two weeks in December, in partnership with FAO project Migration and Youth Employment in Food Systems.
- Empowering youth networks
ICA provided support to the establishment and empowerment of the RAPEA network of youth agripreneurs, including on topics such as digital marketing. A training session Boost Your Business with Facebook was delivered by Kinaya Ventures to 35 young Agripreneurs. Finally, in partnership with the FAO Partnership Division and with the Service Provider Rikolto, ICA is contributing to strengthen the capacities of youth agripreneurs in promoting responsible agri-food investments. See video here
COVID-19 response
Following a rapid assessment with youth organizations, ICA supported the organization of online info-sharing and training sessions for young agripreneurs on Business Continuity Planning, and engaged around USD 25,000 in a LoA with the young agripreneurs network RAPEA to support the supply of farming inputs.
Find out more on COVID-19 response in ICA countries
Partnerships
- Public sector: Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de l’Emploi des Jeunes (ANPEJ)/Ministère de la Jeunesse; Délégation générale à l'Entreprenariat Rapide des Femmes et des Jeunes (DER)
- Development agencies: GIZ
- Financial institutions / funds: Vocational and Technical Training fund (3FTP)
- NGO: Rikolto
Youth networks
Réseau Africain pour la Promotion de l'Entrepreneuriat Agricole (RAPEA)
Collège de jeunes of the Conseil national de concertation et de coopération des ruraux (CNCR)
Intra-FAO synergies
- FAO Partnership and UN Collaboration unit (PSU): Training of youth Agripreneurs on responsible investments
- FAO Migration Team, Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender equity Division (ESP): Targeting of returning migrants in the MIJA training
Publications
- Context analysis (2020)
- Overview of statistics of Senegal (2020)
What’s cooking for 2021
- Consolidation of MIJA approach, including finalization and validation of training package, incubation and coaching
- Establishment of the MIJA trainers network