On March 05, 2024, Senegal’s Prime Minister Amadou BA chaired an inter ministerial council meeting on surface water mobilization and development projects. In the meeting, he stressed the urgent need to tackle the issue of water mobilization and development in a context where water resources are increasingly scarce. According to Prime Minister Amadou Ba, a colossal sum of more than CFAF 398 billion has been allocated to various short- and medium-term projects, with the promise to create more than 928,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Surface water is the main source of water for agriculture in Senegal, but during periods of low rainfall, it is insufficient to meet agricultural needs. These resources are threatened by overexploitation and pollution. According to experts, the current level of abstraction is set to increase by 30% to 60% by 2035, adding to water shortage in a country where urbanization is rapidly expanding. To alleviate the problem, Senegal’s Prime Minister, Amadou Bâ, at the inter-ministerial council meeting on March 05, 2024, announced an investment of more than CFAF 398 billion in short- and medium-term projects to develop surface water resources. These projects are also expected to create 928,000 jobs.
We must skillfully navigate the tumultuous currents of strategy and technology in search of innovative and sustainable solutions. Together we can transform this ocean of challenges into a sea of opportunity where every drop counts and every action counts double.
Amadou Ba, Prime minister
In Senegal, surface water is estimated at between 40 and 50 billion cubic meters per year, divided between seven basins: the Senegal and Gambia rivers, and the rivers in Casamance, Kayanga, Sine and Saloum. In this West African country, water stress and pollution cost the state more than 10% of its GDP every year. Faced with this situation, the Senegalese authorities intend to draw up a global and coherent strategy involving all the players in charge of the resource.
For more than a decade, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr Macky Sall, has been working to bring about far-reaching changes in our economy through the Senegal Emerging Plan, which requires the sustainable availability of surface water. This is the case, for example, with the agropolis project, which depends on good water management to guarantee the expected agricultural, pastoral and fish farming production.
Amadou Ba, Prime minister
According to the Senegalese government, 90,000 hectares of exploitable land will be secured around Lac de Guiers, and no less than 232,000 hectares of land, including 36,000 hectares of land currently affected by salinity, will be developed. As well as providing employment in agriculture. Livestock and fish farming activities will be affected by various surface water mobilization and development projects.
