The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Senegal’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, has launched a regional project in Touba aimed at improving post-harvest management across key agrifood value chains. The initiative seeks to reduce food losses and better utilize surplus food, which is estimated to represent more than CFAF 400 billion annually between production and market stages, highlighting a major economic, social, and environmental challenge.
FAO officials emphasized that practical and locally adapted solutions already exist, including improved storage systems, clean energy-powered cold chains, local food processing, and organic waste valorization through technologies such as biodigesters and black soldier flies. These approaches are expected to reduce waste while creating value from by-products. The organization stressed that reducing food loss is not only a technical issue but also a strategic and collective responsibility aligned with community values and food security priorities.
In Senegal, post-harvest losses particularly affect horticultural crops, cereals, and perishable animal products, leading to reduced farmer incomes, weaker food security, and increased environmental pressure. The government highlighted that the project aligns with its Community Agricultural Cooperatives programme, which focuses on strengthening production, storage, processing, and marketing systems to improve farmer earnings, reduce seasonal losses, and stabilize food supply.
The initiative will introduce sustainable and inclusive innovations such as improved cereal storage, solar drying techniques, sustainable cold chains, and circular economy solutions for waste conversion. These measures are designed to enhance resilience, generate green jobs, and strengthen local agrifood systems. Cheikh Ahmadoul Khadim University in Touba has pledged technical and scientific support, including research, training, and pilot testing of innovative solutions.
Touba was chosen as the implementation site due to its strong community structure and large-scale gatherings such as the Grand Magal, which make it a strategic location for testing food surplus management systems. Local religious and community leaders emphasized the importance of measuring food waste patterns to design effective interventions and expressed commitment to supporting the initiative.
The project also marks the beginning of a broader national consultation process to develop a strategy for reducing post-harvest losses. This includes identifying priority value chains, assessing capacity needs, mobilizing resources, and validating a national action plan for 2026. The initiative brings together government institutions, local authorities, private sector actors, farmers’ organizations, academia, and development partners.
FAO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Senegal in achieving national food security goals and contributing to global efforts under Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to halve global food waste by 2030.
