WAW secretariat attended the International Meeting in Tribute to Dr. Jacques Faye held from 27 to 29 November 2018.

Like the rest of the continent, West Africa faces significant challenges related to: (i) sustained population growth, (ii) high incidence of poverty, (iii) degradation natural resources; (iv) insecurity and conflict; (v) rural depopulation and urban underemployment.

These challenges have been at the heart of Jacques Faye's commitment during his research career at ISRA and CIRAD and as advisor to the National Council for Cooperation and Rural Dialogue (CNCR). A rigorous researcher, passionate and indefatigable campaigner of peasant agriculture and stubborn defender of the rural world, his research and consultancy activities, his stances in the public debate in favor of family farming have had the objective of influencing agricultural and rural development policies in Senegal and West Africa.

Jacques Faye has dedicated the last years of his life to the creation and operation of the IPAR (Agricultural and Rural Prospective Initiative), a think tank whose research and forward thinking are intended to feed the dialogue and consultation of stakeholders on public policies.

In order to update the reflection to take up these issues, IPAR has decided to organize, in partnership with the CNCR, ISRA, CIRAD and other partners, an international meeting centered on the future of family farms in the context of progressive integration of African policies and an increasingly globalized economy. 

Objectives of the meeting

It will be during this meeting

·        Identify and analyze (i) current developments and challenges faced by family farms and rural societies, (ii) the responses and results achieved, and (iii) the positioning and strategies developed by different actors.

·         To create between the different actors concerned by the elaboration and the implementation of answers to the challenges and stakes identified, the conditions of a fruitful debate, carrying pragmatic solutions. To be inclusive and participatory, this debate will have to mobilize, in addition to researchers, politicians, elected officials at different levels, the private sector, rural producers and their organizations, and development partners. The analyzes and debates should allow to deepen the reflection by focusing on the structural transformations of agriculture, and in particular family farming, on the conditions of their modernization and on the presentation of experiences and innovative solutions for agricultural development.

·         To pay tribute to Jacques Faye, highlighting the quality and originality of his scientific contribution; its ability to combine the scientific requirement and the search for social utility, particularly through its commitment to strengthening the role of farmers' organizations and local communities in the definition and implementation of public policies

Content of the meeting

The meeting is divided into three parts: the first part concerns the tribute proper to Jacques Faye (half a day could be devoted to it), the second part will be devoted to thematic content and the lessons to be learned to inform political decisions and the third part will be reserved for the visit of Gorée Island.

The tribute to Jacques Faye

This tribute is organized around the presentation of the man and his contribution on questions relating to (1) the problem of land, (2) farming/family farms (3) strengthening and support to farmers' organizations in as institutional and political actors and (4) the animation of research teams.

The scientific committee

ROPPA 2018 Convention

At the beginning of December 2018, WAW Secretariat also attended ROPPA 2018 Convention held in Banjul. During the convention, the network with ROPPA has been strengthened and contacts with GAFSP and other farmers organizations have been established and renewed. ROPPA could support WAW to establish the national observatories in West Africa and its network with farmers and producers would be an important asset for WAW. On December 18, 2018, WAW coordinator met ROPPA representatives in IFAD to discuss how to move potential cooperation forward.