Targeting Farmers in Institutional Procurement Programmes: case study of the PAA Africa Programme in Senegal

Organization(s): FAO, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth
Author: Abdoulaye Thiam, Israel Klug, Rosana Pereira de Miranda
Regions: West Africa
Country: Senegal
Year: 2017
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In general terms, this case study aims to analyse the system used by the PAA Africa programme in Senegal to target family farms producing rice in the Kédougou region. More specifically, it aims to highlight the way the targeting process influenced the results and constraints observed during the programme’s pilot phase. It also aims to discuss challenges and opportunities to focus on poor and vulnerable farmers in the context of local food purchase programmes.

PAA Africa has two objectives: i) supporting small-scale family farmers by opening up new and reliable markets for their products; and ii) improving children’s nutritional status and school attendance through school feeding programmes. However, this article only focuses on the first—i.e. targeting farmers to be engaged in the programme. This choice is driven both by a lack of evidence about the impacts on children and the desire to further explore the implications of engaging the most vulnerable farmers in local procurement programmes.

This study also aims to inform the broad discussion about IPPs by documenting some of the local innovations performed in Senegal. To this end, it will highlight some of the targeting knowledge gaps that could be addressed to strengthen the impact of these interventions. Considering the pilot nature of the programme and its limited reach, this case study does not intend to provide conclusive data on the subject but, rather, to raise relevant questions based on the country’s experience.