Agricultural dynamics and food security in Senegal

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of the Senegalese agricultural economy and the food security. Analysis of secondary data shows that agricultural growth is low over the period 1961-2014. The average annual growth rate is 6.3% and conceals large disparities between periods. This evolution leads to low production and agricultural productivity. Hence the contribution of agriculture in value creation at the national level to a downward trend. From more than 24% in 1987, it rose to 18% in 2016, when other sectors are becoming more productive.

The food security is analyzed largely through the environment of the agricultural sector from the point of view of the production of its various parameters. According to the prevalence of undernourishment measured from the minimum dietary energy requirements and the global hunger index, food security is improving more and more from 1992 to 2016. The IFM increases from 19.7 points in 1996 to 13.8 in 2016, but does not yet allow Senegal to leave the zone of insecurity "serious". There is also a linear decline in the prevalence of undernourishment over the period 1992-2016.