The Noo Lank collective has taken a stand to raise the alarm about the alarming deterioration of the situation in Senegal's public universities and the silent crisis currently affecting the peanut farming sector in rural areas. These two distinct realities, the collective argues, both reflect the same failure by authorities to address social emergencies.

In a statement released on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Noo Lank expressed its deep concern regarding decisions made "unilaterally" in the higher education sector, without prior consultation with students. The group specifically criticized the recent scholarship reforms and the closure of university restaurants, two measures which, according to them, have significantly worsened the precarious situation of thousands of students.

For Noo Lank, these decisions have serious human consequences, particularly for students from the most remote areas of the country, who rely heavily on these support mechanisms to pursue their studies with a minimum level of dignity. The group believes that these reforms reflect a lack of a concerted vision for the future of higher education and plunge the sector into a dead end.

In light of this situation, Noo Lank solemnly calls upon the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) to demonstrate responsibility and a sense of responsibility by recognizing the profoundly inhumane impact of certain decisions. The group specifically demands the immediate lifting of the closure of university restaurants and calls for the urgent initiation of a sincere, inclusive, and structured dialogue on scholarship reform and the future of the university system.

In the same vein, Noo Lank affirms its support for students, particularly the most vulnerable, while calling on student representatives to act responsibly in order to safeguard the best interests of the university community. The group also states its readiness to play a mediating role in a spirit of appeasement.

Beyond the universities, Noo Lank draws attention to another, less publicized but equally worrying crisis: the peanut harvest. In many villages, large stocks of peanuts remain unsold, depriving producers of essential income and plunging rural families into great hardship.

The group points to inadequate management by SONACOS, which is already struggling to sell the stocks purchased during the previous campaign due to a lack of suitable processing capacity. According to Noo Lank, simply increasing SONACOS's purchasing power without sustainably strengthening its production capacity is a short-term solution that exposes the country to a repetition of the same difficulties.

The group also points out that the peanut-growing region has gradually shifted towards areas like the Kolda-Tambacounda axis, which are now highly productive, including in the border region, while SONACOS remains located far from these territories. This territorial mismatch contributes to overstocking and the persistent precariousness of producers.

Another cause for concern is the poor targeting of seed subsidies. Noo Lank believes that these billions of CFA francs invested by the State do not sufficiently benefit genuine producers, but too often benefit agribusiness players, to the detriment of rural populations.

Faced with this situation, the collective calls for the urgent holding of an inter-ministerial council dedicated to the peanut sector, in order to provide structural, equitable and sustainable solutions to an activity vital to the national economy and social cohesion.

For Noo Lank, universities in crisis and rural areas in distress are two sides of the same coin: the need for a profound change in method and vision in managing social emergencies. The collective affirms its continued mobilization, vigilance, and commitment to defending human dignity, social justice, and the common good.