Since 2001, M.A.I.S. collaborates with the organisation Enda Pronat and with the Federation Yakaar Niani Wouli (Ynw), in the community of Koussanar, in the department of Tambacounda.
The economy of the department of Tambacounda mainly depends on agricultural activities, such as the growing of cotton and peanuts. Although the export of cotton as a raw material represents a very small profit for the producers and suffers from the competition of Asian countries, the area has a strong potential in the sector of textile handicraft, and the access to the local and European market could help the creation of jobs and the creation of an added value.
The projects realized, mostly financed by the Piedmont Regional Authority, have allowed to get excellent results, both in the agricultural sector and in the integrated rural development in the community of Koussanar. The Federation of Ynw producers, which is working since 2003 in the processing of cotton, is proud to be the first Senegalese association with an organic certification for its cotton: the traditional cotton-spinning has been brought back; research on the natural dying with indigo has been done, the weaving and the garments are made by local craftsmen.
Today, the Federation is trying to create a trademark: this way, the producers will be able to benefit from an official acknowledgement and to remain the “owners” of cotton as far as it gets to the consumer, something which has never happened with the export of the raw material. Enda Pronat and other partner organisations are working since 2005 for the development of fair trade in Senegal. The group is leading a research for the assurance of a guaranteed system, allowing to enhance the resources and the local means of production. After the approval of the National Charter, in October 2006, the documentation has been presented at the Social Summit in Nairobi.
The conversion to organic growing of cotton in the Federation of Ynw is just one of the activities carried on by M.A.I.S. in Senegal. In the rural areas, in the Tambacounda, Fatik and Ziguinchor regions, many projects have been planned for the development and the support of family agriculture, with the use of agroeconomic techniques of production and environmental improvement.
In the suburbs of Dakar (Parcelles Assainies), M.A.I.S. organises courses for professional education for young people, women and craftsmen, associated with micro enterprises and job placement. Alongside with experimentation and family management of urban vegetable gardens, a popular canteen will soon be created, where typical Senegalese food will be prepared using urban agriculture products and vegetables grown in the areas where M.A.I.S. works.
All over the area, special attention has been given to the educational sector, to the participation of women and to the organisational and institutional reinforcement of rural partner communities and associations.
Ours projects: