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It is clear that a reading is good only if the reader articulates the syllables well, while also respecting the syntaxes respectfully. Such an exercise, as simple and necessary for a coherence of spirit, should, for the sake of objectivity, guide Mr. Ndao who, inadvertently, risked a game of decryption of the results of the policy of self-sufficiency in rice in Senegal.
In fact, when I learned, in the online press, of his publication entitled " Another Reading of the Results of the Rice Self-Sufficiency Policy in Senegal ", he told me It was pointed out that, in the postulate of departure, Mr. Ndaoa omitted, deliberately or out of ignorance, to specify that the Acceleration Program of the Senegalese Agriculture Program (PRACAS) had four priority streams: 1) the self-sufficiency in rice; 2) onion self-sufficiency; 3) optimizing the performance of the groundnut sector and 4) the development of the off-season fruit and vegetable sector
In addition, the other speculations (millet, maize, cassava, fonio, etc.) have the focus of attention and strong support, between 2014 and 2017.
Thus, cereal production increased from 1,132,787 tonnes in 2011 to 2,516,466 tonnes in 2017, through 1 270 936 tonnes in 2013. Groundnut production, which was 527 528 tonnes in 2011, has been around one million tonnes for three years. Fruit and vegetable production increased from 932,000 in 2013 to more than one million two hundred tonnes. The onion, as a priority sector, doubles its production level between 2013 and 2017 (230,000 tonnes at 450 000 tonnes). The potato, which was marginal, started to occupy interesting shares (12,500 tons in 2011, 20,000 tons in 2013 and more than 67,000 tons in 2016). Horticultural exports by volume, which were 67 598 tonnes in 2013, exceeding 91 000 tonnes in 2016.
The option of this diversification aimed to mitigate the risks related to a monoculture, to climate change, to secure producers' sources of income and to allow them to to have a better balanced diet.
Moreover, I must emphasize that the need to start with these channels has its origin in the poor state in which they were, despite their strategic importance in the future. from our dear Senegal.
In other words, if Mr. Ndao does not understand the rationale behind the implementation of the PRACAS, the risk of misinterpreting it and misreading his results becomes highly probable. [19659005AsaresultitseemstomethatMrNdaoisnotfarfromfallingintothistrapandthefollowingelementsofappreciationreinforcemeinthisfeeling:
- Mr. Ndao recognizes, in watermark, the accuracy and pertinence of to equip itself with an instrument called the National Rice Self-Sufficiency Program (PNAR), to lead Senegal towards self-sufficiency in rice. And i even teaches that it is necessary to act on two levers: "the first is to increase rice production and the second is to encourage the reduction of rice consumption by diversifying the country's food base". He concludes that the state has only acted on the first lever that it describes as a limited productivist approach.
I must make clear to Mr. Ndao that the efforts made in favor of the development of the other speculations, which I mentioned above, indicate that the conclusion he has served in the opinion is false.
Elsewhere, Mr. Ndao must understand, in a down-to-earth way, that it is perfectly accepted that changes in eating habits are slow, while a good organization makes it possible to rapidly increase the level of agricultural production. Indeed, if, in the space of four years, the level of production could validly increase and be observed by all, which is the case for rice now, it will be difficult, within this period, to radically transform habits.
But, I am not surprised by the exit of Mr. Ndao because, in this Senegal where we count a multitude of specialists in conjecture, one will always see very captious arguments to pretend the opposite. 19659015] Mr. Ndao argues that " the State invested heavily in this program by increasing the planted areas and agricultural equipment made available to rice farmers .
However, he must not ignore, as an economist, that the Senegalese state does not bring together. This activity belongs to the producers. The State facilitates the conditions of practice, thanks to easy access to quality inputs (for illustrative purposes, we went from zero kilograms of certified rice seed made available to rice farmers to about 8000 tons, between 2011 and 2017 ), control of water, access to equipment (from zero tractors to nearly two thousand tractors), rice advice, etc.,
- Comparing the level of imports to that of production in 2013 and 2016, M.Ndaoy finds a paradox because, according to him, "the increase in production did not significantly impact the decline in imports". He puts forward three hypotheses that could justify this: increase in rice consumption by Senegalese, flow problem or false statistics .
Falling heavily into error, Mr. Ndao may not know not be that the relevant indicator at this level is not the volume of imports, but the level of the permits for release for consumption. And he must understand that, since imports and local productions are not in a communicating vase system, an automatic link can not be established between the two realities.
Moreover, the examination of these two parameters, in the countries (23) engaged in a policy of self-sufficiency in rice, suffice as an example.
However, it is opportune to salute the courage of the state authorities who seek to index imports for the purchase of local rice.
With regard to Mr. Ndao's budget of $ 424.7 billion, I must inform him that it was indeed an assessment of the cost of the needs of the sector integrating the participation of all stakeholders.
This is why the level of operational modern rice mills has increased from ten to fifty, currently in Senegal. And these private investments have made it possible to have a rice that meets international standards.
- As far as statistics are concerned, the assessment made by Mr. YoussouNdao seems to call them into question. And what removes any form of objectivity is the fact that, after having advanced that "the production seems overvalued", it recognizes, further than this same " production of rice in Senegal undoubtedly recorded interesting results these last years "
How was it measured?
There is, therefore, reason to argue that this disconcerting tendency to say one thing and its opposite of certain" great thinkers "gives the image of children joking with sacred things.
Mr. Ndaosait that the frame used for the collection of agricultural data comes from the general census of the population, housing and livestock, made by the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD)?
Certainly not. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that agricultural data undergo rigorous national and international validation each year by serious and specialized institutions (CILSS, AgriMeth, FAO, WFP, FewsNet, OECD).
Ultimately we dare to hope that these few elements of precision will be useful to Mr. YoussouNdao and allow him, in the future, to be more nuanced in his analyzes.
May God protect Senegal!
Dr. Waly DIOUF
Coordinator of the National Rice Self-Sufficiency Program (PNAR)
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