Farming Dynamics the Fatick Integrated Development Programme (Senegal): Capacity Building in Grass Roots Organisations
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December 2013 30-31 Farming dynamics The Fatick integrated development programme (Senegal): capacity building in grass roots organisations A strong regional presence Regional capital Department Capital District capital for a regional development Regional boundary Department boundary District boundary strategy Rural community Opting for women Diourbel Region Colobane Ngayokhème Patar Ndiob Mbar Thiès Ndiéné Diarrère Patar Lia Lagane PDIF’s main components Region Niakhar Diakhao Gossas Tattaguine Ouadiour Diouroup Ndiago Mbéllacadiao Ourour Loul Séssène Fatick Gagnik Guinguinéo The process of developing Djilasse Fatick Ngathe the territory within the Diofor Mbadakhoune Naoudé programme Fimela Foudiougne Djilor Palmarin Djinda Facao Kaolack Region Passy Diossong Bassoul Niodior Dionewar Sokone Nioro Alassane Tall Keur Toubacouta Saloum Diané Keur Samba Gueye Background In the late 1990s, SOS FAIM launched a study in five regions of Senegal to identify farmer organizations with growth potential. The aim was to set up a local development programme working with these organizations. As a result of this study, Fatick region was chosen. Its 724,345 inhab- itants live in one of the country’s poorest regions1. The poverty rate (57.1%2) is well above the national average (35.6%). 1 Source: Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie du Sénégal – August 2011 report. 2 Source: Senegalese News Agency - 20th June, 2013. p Farming dynamics n° 30-31 December 2013 2 In addition, according to the Fatick regional planning scheme, the region also contends with: A strong regional A lack of equipment as a result of the lack of support measures since the creation of the region in 1984; presence for a regional Being isolated due to a limited road network; development strategy High salinity levels (33.6% of the region); The Fatick integrated development programme has the Little urbanization, even to date (13.1% according to institutional backing of the Regional Council. As such, ANSD figures from August 2011) the programme is part both of the national strategy to An almost total absence of a services sector. address poverty and Fatick regional integrated devel- opment programme, which the same Since its launch in 1999, there have Regional Council is responsible for. been 4 phases to the Fatick’s integrat- ed development programme (French PDIF’s intervention strategy favours acronym, PDIF): creating or encouraging spaces in which state bodies, regional and local au- The aim is to overcome A pilot phase, between 1999 and thorities and civil society may coop- 2002, with limited and ad hoc sup- divisions and leadership erate, and reinforcing the relationship port to 11 farmers’ organizations; issues between institutions between authorities at the different in the region in order to be levels of government across the region A first 5 year phase following this able to realise collective (regional, county, district, rural com- trial period (2003-2007), in which 3 land development projects munity/town, village/neighbourhood). aims were pursued: that enjoy broad support. The aim is to overcome divisions and › Capacity-build in federations (par- leadership issues between institutions ticularly women’s groups) and initi- in the region in order to be able to re- ate the processes of organizing; alise collective land development pro- jects that enjoy broad support. › Support the economic activities of grass roots groups (through the pro- PDIF’s guiding principles: vision of loans); Support existing processes, which means working with › Support a set of regional actors and research syner- existing organizations following an evaluation to put gies between them. together an appropriate package of support measures. A second shorter (3 years) phase, helped consolidate Spread the programme’s actions geographically to the achievements of the first phase; it also estab- take account of decentralization and local develop- lished a regional solidarity fund and targeted three of ment issues (respecting the 10 district and municipality the region’s promising value chains: cashew, salt and boundaries); goat breeding. Support self-managed financial instruments to tack- The third and current phase (2011-2013) is focussed le poverty and limit recourse to usury; linking up farmer on both supporting female entrepreneurship and de- organizations and saving & loans houses; veloping the territory. Promote a participatory approach. The programme has undergone several external eval- uations and this document is largely inspired by these reports dating respectively from 2003, 2007 and 20133. Functional steering committee: 3 Evaluation de la phase pilote du programme d’appui aux organisa- PDIF is supported by a steering committee of 29 mem- tions paysannes dynamiques de la région de Fatick – Mark Nieuwkerk bers chaired by the governor and composed of repre- – February 2003. Evaluation des apports en animation du territoire et sentatives of regional communities (Regional Council), soutien aux filières économiques de la phase 2003-2007 du PDIF – Simon regional administrations (local government and prefec Tomety and Fatoumata Bintou Drame – September 2007. Evaluation - prospective du programme de développement intégré de Fatick – Mody ture), state extension services and of civil society ben- Ba – April 2013. eficiaries of the programme. p 3 © PCO – SOS Faim The steering committee both plans activities and is re- is involved both at the level of strategic thinking and sponsible for assessments. Among the topics discussed funding. at planning sessions are: (i) criteria for selecting which districts and farmer organizations will receive funding, This team relies on existing state extension services: (ii) tools for raising capital and how to implement these CADL (Support Centre for Local Development) for on the across the region (iii) sharing research on value chains, ground support, especially the identification of upcom- (iv) how to promote rural entrepreneurship as a means ing Women’s Promotion Groups (GPF), guidance in the of tackling poverty, (v) the role of NGOs in the region, choice of Income Generating Activities (IGA), the mon- (vi) new geographic areas (districts and municipalities) itoring of these IGA. Thus, PDIF supported CADL by sup- and / or new subject areas (including new value chains.) plying it with IT hardware and consumables. Regional departments of agriculture, livestock, water A small set up: and forests, environment and trade are involved in re- The PDIF team is small: a coordinator and two staff gional development work in the programme. members are in charge of activities, rural development and micro-credit, along with several support staff. A methodological framework is provided by GERAD4 who are PDIF’s main sub-contractor. The NGO, SOS Faim, 4 Groupe d’Etude, de Recherche et d’Appui au Développement (Deve- lopment Study, Research and Support Group). p Farming dynamics n° 30-31 December 2013 4 ©PCO – SOS Faim Meeting a women’s promotion group. Opting for women PDIF’s main components At the outset of the programme’s first phase, a number There are three main components to the programme: of factors led PDIF to clearly favour working with organ- support for women’s economic activities, supporting ized women’s groups, in order to reach the neediest in promising sectors in the regional economy and develop- the population: women represent the majority of the ing the region. population in rural areas (the rural exodus is largely a male exodus), they do 85% of the agricultural work and Credit backed economic activities by women. make up two thirds of the workforce in small businesses, they often work double shifts of between 12 to 15 hours, Historically, this was the programme’s first major focus, 75% are illiterate, and are under-represented in deci- with the women’s promotion groups (GPF) and 3 Mutu- sion-making spheres. al Savings and Credit houses (MEC) created by the GPF. PDIF chose to support the consolidation of existing ex- tension financing systems, initiated by the federations of women’s promotion groups. Thus, ownership was as- sured in principle and stronger links between producer p 5 ©AKE – SOS Faim Staff at the mutual credit house in Foundiougne. organizations and existing rural finance institutions There were four credit cycles from March 2005 to July were fostered. 2007. These four credit cycles helped to consolidate a PDIF credit funds were thus domiciled in three mutual collective repayment discipline, insofar as repayment credit houses: Sine (Fatick) Sant Yalla (Gossas) and performance was a trigger for a group’s eligibility for Dimbalante (Foundiougne). In addition, a tripartite the next cycle. There has been an effort at rigorous ap- agreement was signed between the programme, the plication of procedures and transparency in beneficiary MECs and the federative GPF structures. In this scheme, selection. the MEC are financial services providers (financial inter- mediation) and the GPF control the credit: beneficiary During this phase, loans were issued at 10% interest per selection and monitoring of credit and collections. semester; 70% of the interest generated fed a regional solidarity fund. The other 30 percent compensated the By the end of the first phase of the programme (2007) € 228,673.505 in loan funding had been made avail- MECs for their services (18%) and covered the operating able, which is equivalent to € 15,244.90 per rural dis- costs of the unions of women’s groups (12%). trict and € 7,622.45 per municipality with an exception in the case of Fatick city, which was awarded a total of Credit was controlled with outstandings peaking at € 30,489,80. 1.54% in 2007. 5 150 million FCFA. p Farming dynamics n° 30-31 December 2013 6 The Regional Solidarity Fund, formed from a portion of the interest earned on the two previous funds, amount- ed to € 54,131.80 (35,507,503 FCFA).The use of this fund The evaluation carried out in is the responsibility of ADIF (Fatick Association for Inte- grated Development), an umbrella for all PDIF women’s 2007, however, highlighted one unions.