Scoping mission for improving local onion value chain in Senegal

Onion is an important crop for the Senegalese cuisine. Most of the onions consumed in Senegal are imported mainly from the Netherlands. Farmers in the Netherlands produce high quality onions, which are very suitable for storage and are transportable to other countries such as Senegal. However, the onion value chain in Senegal has potential to improve and several Dutch organisations are interested to collaborate with Senegalese actors in this chain.

Challenges in the Senegalese onion chain are e.g. poor farming and (post-)harvest practices, low prices at the peak of the harvest season, degradation of soil and water resources leading to salinization, and low quality inputs.

Delphy, The Salt Doctors and MEYS Emerging Markets Research were developing a project to improve income and production in the onion value chain in Senegal and want to submit a proposal to RVO for an Impact Cluster. To prepare this proposal a mission to Senegal is needed to find Senegalese partners who are deemed suitable, willing and able to participate in the project.

The Saline Water & Food Systems Partnership (SW&FS), facilitated by Netherlands Food Partnership and Netherlands Water Partnership, aims to increase the contribution of Dutch knowledge and expertise in the field of salinisation in Low- and Middle-income Countries. Because soil degradation and salinisation is one of the significant challenges in the onion value chain, the SW&FS Partnership supported the mission focused on building a partnership with relevant and committed Senegalese stakeholders. The report of the scoping mission can be found here.