Senegal secures 57 million euro OPEC Fund loan for food sovereignty

Senegal has secured significant financial support to bolster its food sovereignty and agricultural resilience. The OPEC Fund for International Development has signed a 57 million euro (approximately 37.4 billion FCFA) loan agreement to support the Food Sovereignty Strategy Support Project (PASS). This initiative aims to increase national food production, reduce import dependency, and improve rural livelihoods. The program is expected to benefit roughly 900,000 people, specifically targeting women and youth, across ten of the country's fourteen administrative regions.

Key interventions under the OPEC Fund agreement include improving irrigation, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and enhancing access to agricultural inputs. Specific goals involve managing water across 1,500 hectares of land, rehabilitating or constructing 330 kilometers of rural roads, and supporting over 2,200 farms.

In a parallel effort for the 2026-2027 horticultural season, Senegal's Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock has mobilized a 7 billion FCFA subsidy. This funding is intended to facilitate the distribution of seeds—including 3,000 tonnes of local varieties—and support small-scale producers. Authorities have also begun receiving shipments of potato seeds, with strict phytosanitary controls in place to ensure quality and traceability.