CIRPED

Presentation of CIRPED

CIRPED is a Senegalese non-profit Organization created in 1993 to support farmers’ organizations, rural communities and small artisans. It aims to attain a sustainable agriculture and economic growth in the respect of the ecological balance.

 

CIRPED has worked many years to assist farmers to attain agricultural production systems, which are socially just, culturally divers, economically viable and environmentally sustainable. These systems are designed to allow farmers to use, entirely, renewable energy sources available in the zone while limiting external inputs and promoting sound natural resources management.
CIRPED has a team of trained community organizers, representing many disciplines able to carry out its program in rural communities. CIRPED is working with 25 farmer’s organizations right now. CIRPED have already created a “Training Center for Sustainable Agriculture (TCSA)” in Diogo, Senegal. The TCAS have a little lake with clean water and some fishes inside. Many small wild animals live around the lake. The TCAS is at 7 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and have a nice weather. CIRPED started to build some rooms for future farmers coming to learn sustainable agriculture good practices. The TCAS have 5 hectares. TCAS plans to do capacity building for small farmers and local trainees on sustainable agriculture, natural resources management, organic and ecological farming. CIRPED is asking SARD Initiative for help for the development of the TCAS.

 

CIRPED supports farmer’s organizations through:
•    Research on environmental action and natural resources protection and management;
•    Rehabilitation and protection of flora and fauna;
•    Restoration, protection and conservation of soils and water in order to increase the agricultural values of valleys and bas-ponds;
•    Fight against erosion and crops diseases through natural means;
•    Integration of agriculture and forestry;
•    Training, information, education and communication on sustainable farming including organic farming, biodynamic farming and ecologic farming;
•    Support of local management of village lands;
•    Support of local management of village lands;
•    Support for the creation of rural community banks from local savings, micro-credit and investment to promote autonomous finance for local sustainable development.
•    Organic agriculture and market marketing and natural resources management;
    
CIRPED is the West Africa NGO Focal Point for SARD Initiative (Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development).

 

 

Senegal is situated in the African West coast. It lies between Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. From the west the country of Gambia extends into and is almost completely surrounded by Senegal.  Senegal has two seasons: rainy from June to October and dry from November to May.

The population is 11 millions people, with a growth rate of 2.8%.  Young people are the majority of the population.  More than 60% of the population lives in rural settings. Agriculture (farming, animal husbandry, fishing, forestry) employs up to 60% of the active population.  The capital city is Dakar. The six major traditional languages are: Wolof, Pulaar, Serere, Diola, Soninke and Mandingue. The official language is French. The per capita income is $570/year. The life expectancy is 51 years.

Senegal’s development potential is rendered problematic by its harsh, arid climate, its vulnerability to changes in rainfall amounts and the pressure placed by rapidly increasing population levels on the fragile and increasingly scarce resource base.  This demographic pressure, coupled with the effects of a continually shrinking forest and vegetal cover and the inappropriate use of fertilizers has contributed to the degradation of already-fragile soils, with consequent decline in agricultural yields.  Natural forests have shrunk over 7.4% over the past fifteen years.  Degradation of water resources, especially from saline intrusion and pollution of subterranean waters by pesticides and others pollutants, has increased steadily.  The difficulties of maintaining a productive existence in rural areas has contributed to the rapid swelling of urban centers where environmental problems are characterized by the near total absence of systems to manage urban solid and liquid waste and to ensure adequate sanitation.