Organised by ENDA Santé within the framework of the LEKK/FAJU II project, a training workshop for producers on production and conservation techniques for farmers' seeds and on natural treatment techniques was held from 28 to 30 November 2016 in Djimini (Vélingara). This meeting was led by ASPSP (Association Sénégalaise des Producteurs de Semences Paysannes) at BIOLOPIN, Ferme d'expérimentation, de Formation et de Production en agroécologie de Djimini.
The objective of this training is to promote farmer seeds and reduce dependence on seeds and inputs in general. During their training, the participants came from the largest farmers' organisations in Senegal, namely
- REVIMAR (Darou Alpha/THIES)
- JEG-JAM (Yayiyem/FIMELA)
- APROVAC (Adiaf/Tambacounda)
- CAREM (FIMELA)
- ASSOFADEP (Nieehep/THIES)
- RESECAL (Ndoffane/SOKONE)
- SAPPAT (Diouroup/TATTAGUINE)
- INTERPENC (NIORO du Rip)
- ASPSP (Djimini/VELINGARA)
Enda Santé, with the support of ASPSP, a specialist in seed production and conservation, enabled participating producers to be trained in the following modules
- Criteria for the quality of a farm-saved seed,
- Respecting the agrobiological itinerary,
- Criteria for choosing varieties to propagate,
- Criteria for the choice of the mother seed,
- Criteria for selecting plots for production,
- Preparing and using compost,
- The requirements for land preparation and sowing, but also the requirements for harvesting,
- The requirements for drying,
- Threshing-Cleaning-Preserving,
- Selection during seed production.
During the 3-day workshop, the exchanges were very fruitful. Indeed, the speakers appreciated the availability and the pedagogy of the consultants, facilitating the understanding and the collaboration of all the participants.
Practical activities also allowed participants to visit the Djimini experimentation perimeter: the farmers' seed hut, the Biolopin market gardening block and the botanical area of the farm.
The ASPSP, respecting the values of ENDA Santé as part of its collaboration, led the training workshop by carrying out all the tasks set out in the contract, namely To provide training to the beneficiaries from the project intervention areas on the techniques of production, conservation of farmers' seeds and use of natural treatment products.
It was also a question of allowing the beneficiaries to visit the experimental perimeters of Djimini for a better knowledge of agroecology.
Thus, fifteen (15) producers from the project's intervention zones left the workshop organised by ENDA Santé satisfied and mastered the basic notions of agroecology and especially of farmer seeds. At the end of the workshop, certificates and pedagogical tools such as the document dealing with all agroecological practices related to farmer seeds were distributed to the beneficiaries.
After 3 days of exchanges, the participants issued recommendations:
- Each trained farmer decides to disseminate the experiences gained during the workshop by making a presentation in his or her area.
- In each area, experiments will be carried out in test fields.
- Each farmer commits to cultivate according to agrological principles.
- All chemical plant protection products will be banned from production fields.
- Each farmer commits to produce and use only natural treatment products.
- Each participant is a guarantor of food and seed sovereignty and will work to promote farmers' seeds.
- Participants recommended that ENDA Santé replicate a similar workshop across the LEJJ/FAJU II project areas because of its importance.
- Each farmer takes ownership of the success of this workshop and thanks ENDA Santé and ASPSP for the smooth running of the training.
- The participants recommend ENDA Santé to help them to think about the creation of an organic market and to find strategies for the production of vegetable seeds.
- The participants recommended strengthening the partnership between farmers' organisations, but also asked ENDA Santé to accompany them in joining the ASPSP.
- The participants advocate the revaluation of the place of women in the chain of farmer seeds.
