A participatory workshop was held in Kaffrine for the validation of the Observatory of Territorialized Food Systems, an initiative led by Enda Ecopop, in collaboration with the FAO, the University of Sine-Saloum El Hadji Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN) and several other partners.

The project manager, Doctor Fatou Kiné Guèye, looked back on the process that led to this stage.

"We are in Kaffrine under the leadership of the prefect who is supporting us in the activities carried out as part of a project funded by the FAO, in collaboration with the University of Sine-Saloum, through its department here in Kaffrine," she explained.

According to her, the project began in February with a launch ceremony followed by a diagnostic to identify young people active in the field of food security. "We then organized a multi-stakeholder dialogue that brought together all stakeholders. Rich discussions focused on the need to set up an observatory bringing together not only relevant institutions, but also young people as key stakeholders," she said.

Dr. Guèye also welcomed the support of the University of Sine-Saloum, particularly in digital marketing, as well as that of Pulsar Technologies. "This allows us to place young people at the heart of decision-making bodies," she insisted, emphasizing that this approach is one of the priorities of the Senegalese authorities.

For her part, the Prefect of Kaffrine, Aïssatou Ndiaye Diallo Bodian, expressed her satisfaction with the establishment of this platform. "We are very satisfied with this meeting. As you indicated, this is the installation of the Food Systems Observatory in the department of Kaffrine, with the support of Uganda, a project partner, and the university. These two key partners have supported the department and the municipality in the establishment of this critically important platform," she said. She recalled that this mechanism aims to unite youth organizations active in production, processing, and consumption at the departmental level.

"The objective is to support them in their structuring, training, capacity building and possible access to financing. This should enable them to more effectively achieve their employment and integration objectives," she added.

Finally, she thanked the University of Sine-Saloum and the Kaffrine Chamber of Commerce, which was designated as the platform's project manager. "The challenge, beyond the installation, will be to make it lively and dynamic, so that all the youth and women's organizations in the department can express themselves and raise their concerns related to food systems from a single address and setting," the prefect concluded.