Second national tour: Dr. Abdoulaye Niane launches a 300 million FCFA storage project in Potou

From October 19 to 23, 2026, the Director General of DER/FJ, Dr. Abdoulaye Niane, is leading a second national tour focused on raising awareness, enrollment, and disbursing funding. The program includes promoting DER/FJ support mechanisms and bolstering local economic initiatives, with a highlight in Potou, where construction began on October 19, 2026, on a 300 million FCFA cold and dry storage facility to enhance the preservation of onions and other horticultural products.

The DER/FJ is continuing its territorialization strategy by engaging with local communities and economic stakeholders. This second national tour aims to bring financing mechanisms closer to beneficiaries, facilitate their enrollment, and encourage the development of entrepreneurial initiatives, particularly those led by women and young people.

The program includes information and awareness sessions, Nano Credit enrollment operations, and the disbursement of funds under the BE YES program. The first day, held on Monday, October 19, 2026, in the localities of Louga, Potou, and Kebemer, was marked by a major milestone for the agricultural sector with the laying of the foundation stone for a storage facility in Potou, in the commune of Léona, Louga department.

In Potou, a structuring investment for the onion sector

Costing 300 million FCFA, this cold and dry storage facility will have a total capacity of 1,500 tonnes, including 200 tonnes of refrigerated storage. It aims to provide a concrete solution to the storage difficulties faced by producers, particularly during periods of high production.

By increasing storage capacity, the project will help reduce post-harvest losses, preserve product quality, and improve marketing conditions for harvests. It also aims to promote better regulation of market supply and contribute to stabilizing onion prices.

Beyond its contribution to the agricultural sector, the infrastructure is expected to generate 20 direct jobs, with priority given to women and young people. It thus represents a lever for creating economic opportunities and strengthening local businesses.

Through this investment, the DER/FJ intends to contribute to the development of agricultural value chains by supporting infrastructure that can sustainably improve producers' incomes. This approach reflects the institution's commitment to addressing the constraints on economic activity, beyond simply access to financing.

Encouraging young people to undertake collective projects

This first day also provided an opportunity for the General Delegate, Dr. Abdoulaye Niane, to encourage young people, particularly those from Sports and Cultural Associations (ASC), to mobilize around structured and economically viable collective projects. This is the very essence of the "One ASC, One Project" project announced by the General Delegate of the DER/FJ.

The ambition is to foster entrepreneurial initiatives from local associative dynamics, by inviting young people to better organize their projects in order to access the support and financing mechanisms of the DER/FJ.

The General Delegate's national tour is part of the DER/FJ's desire to broaden access to economic opportunities, particularly through the BE YES program and Nano Credit, while promoting the creation of income-generating activities in the territories.

A tour that continues in several locations

After stops in Kébémer, Louga, and Potou, the DER/FJ delegation will continue its tour on Tuesday, October 20, in Saint-Louis and Dagana, then on Wednesday, October 21, in Podor and Matam. It will then travel to Kanel and Ranérou on Thursday, October 22, before concluding this phase in Linguère on Friday, October 23.

Through this local presence, the DER/FJ intends to strengthen the visibility of its programs, facilitate access to its services for the population and better address the needs of local entrepreneurs.