Agropole Sud: 414 million FCFA worth of equipment to boost entrepreneurship among women and young people

A further step towards self-sufficiency and the modernization of agriculture in Casamance. No fewer than 185 women's and youth organizations have just received a significant amount of processing equipment and gardening supplies. This distribution, which covers the regions of Kolda, Sédhiou, and Ziguinchor, is part of the Agropole Sud project, thanks to funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

The ceremony took place in Adéane, in the Ziguinchor department. The mayor of the town, Arouna Sonko, expressed his deep satisfaction with this significant support. "This will allow women to lighten their daily workload and produce higher-quality products for the benefit of the population. This modern equipment is essential for our products to be competitive in national and international markets," the mayor emphasized.

An investment of over 400 million FCFA

In total, 90 women's organizations and 95 youth organizations are directly impacted by this measure, thus reaching thousands of indirect beneficiaries across the southern region. According to Bouba Dramé, National Coordinator of Agropoles, the total budget allocated for this operation amounts to over 414 million FCFA.

“This basic investment aims to support the transformation in order to improve product quality and ensure compliance with standards. The objective is for our local products to be suitable for marketing on the local, regional and international markets,” said Mr. Dramé.

Beyond the technical aspects, the coordinator emphasized the social and political significance of this initiative. He believes that this financial and material support should enable the establishment of genuine economic and food sovereignty. The Agropole Sud project thus reaffirms its role as a driver of agro-industrial development, focused on job creation, improved rural incomes, and territorial equity.