Lavanou - La Vallée Nourricière

The LAVANOU – La Vallée Nourricière project aims to strengthen food and nutritional security in the Vallée du Fleuve Sénégal, in northern Senegal.

The initiative supports land access for young farmers, the economic autonomy of rural women and the improvement of maternal-infant nutrition in the most vulnerable communities.

Through an integrated approach combining agricultural production, training, health and community development, the project aims to build lasting local capacity and contribute to the food sovereignty of the territory.

LAVANOU – La Vallée Nourricière was created to address the challenges of food and nutritional security in the Vallée du Fleuve Sénégal, a region rich in agricultural potential but increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, food price volatility and the fragility of family farming systems.

The initiative is developed in the Municipalities of Ronkh and Ross Béthio, in the Department of Dagana, Saint-Louis Region. These are strategic rural territories, characterized by highly productive irrigation zones and agro-pastoral areas where food security remains a concrete priority for many families.

The project is implemented in close collaboration with ASESCAW — Association Socio-Éducative, Sportive et Culturelle des Agriculteurs du Walo — a historic farmers' organization and long-standing partner of Movimento Sviluppo e Pace.

LAVANOU works on three main axes. The first concerns land access for young farmers, through the establishment of new cultivated land, technical training on agro-ecological practices, support for agricultural inputs and assistance with product marketing.

The second axis supports the economic autonomy of rural women, promoting agro-pastoral microenterprises in the sectors of livestock, agri-food processing, intensive horticulture and the sale of local products.

The third axis is dedicated to nutrition and maternal-infant health, with activities aimed at pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under five years old and vulnerable families, in collaboration with the Health Centers of Ronkh and Ross Béthio.

The project is not conceived as a top-down intervention, but as a process built with the territory. The participation of local communities, rural facilitators, health services and management committees helps make every activity more responsive to real needs and more sustainable over time.

LAVANOU's ambition is to create a replicable local model, capable of strengthening agricultural production, improving family nutrition, offering opportunities to young people and enhancing the role of women in local food chains.

The project is funded by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers through the otto per mille funds under direct state management, reference 131/2023.