Eighth International Fair of Agriculture and Animal Resources held in Senegal

The eighth foire internationale de l'agriculture et des ressources animales (FIARA) ends today in the Senegalese capital Dakar. FIARA is a week-long exhibition bringing together participants from all sectors of agriculture in Senegal and neighbouring countries to share their experiences, learn from each other and showcase their products and services.

Groups of smallholder farmers from the West African region were well represented, with the vast majority of exhibitors being women. On display throughout the fair were an impressive array of the diverse crops that are grown in West Africa. Most of the exhibitions represented cooperatives, both those that operate on their own as well as some that are assisted by foreign partners in one way or another.

International organizations like FAO and Oxfam also took prominent stands to display the work they are doing in the region and to pass out literature to help showgoers better understand their work.

Local and international manufacturers of farming equipment were also at the fair in full force. The equipment on display ranged from heavy machinery for large agri-business and government departments to simpler mechanized and hand machinery for smaller farming operations.

Senegal has mounted a major effort to encourage the development of a biofuels industry with the cooperation of Brazil and India. An exhibition on the potential of jatropha curcas as a biofuel source proved particularly popular. There was information on everything from growing conditions to machinery that could be used by those interested in processing.

Various arms of the Senegalese government responsible for farming, rural development, the environment, energy matters and more also had information displays to explain their work to the public. The growing awareness of the benefits of sustainable agriculture was evident in the prominence of several groups whose aim is to promote it and teach its advantages. The importance of value addition was a recurring theme, with posters, brochures and exhibitions on innovative things that could be done with traditional wild and cultivated products.

During the one week event there were also opportunities for presentations and discussions on various aspects of agricultural promotion, including the importance of exploring export markets for various niche crops.

Chido Makunike

African Agriculture