Green Agendas and White Markets: The Coloniality of Agroecology in Senegal

Abstract

Development actors in West Africa have been promoting agroecological farming as a solution to combat climate change and to create more sovereign food systems that enhance the autonomy of local smallholders. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding the actual implementation of such programs and their potential to empower smallholders, especially in the West African region. Drawing on co-produced knowledge from anthropological fieldwork in Western Senegal, the case study of an alternative food network explores the interlinkages between the promotion of agroecology, anti-migration policies, and unequal power and market relations. Informed by decolonial political ecologies, the analysis reveals different layers of coloniality which complicate embodied effects on horticultural smallholders. The authors conclude that instead of fostering the emancipation of smallholders, development actors promote a labor-intensive and unprofitable way of farming that exploits local resources for the sake of green agendas and white markets. This article highlights the need for a critical reflection on the potential limitations of agroecology and calls for a more nuanced approach that considers the complex realities of smallholders in West Africa.

Lessons Learnt from the Influencing Factors of Forested Areas’ Vulnerability under Climatic Change and Human Pressure in Arid Areas: A Case Study of the Thiès Region, Senegal

“…Crop rotation is essential for implementing ecological civilization policies [3]. A previous study in the Thiès region, based on survey data from 2022, highlighted that approximately 42% of respondents had not changed their crops in the last five years [59]. Monoculture not only impacts agricultural land, but also makes forested areas more fragile.…”