SPIRULINE TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION IN OUONCK (ZIGUINCHOR, SENEGAL)

Abstract

This video illustrates the experience that took place in a rural municipality in the South West of Senegal, Ouonck, in dealing with a situation of food insecurity manifested by malnutrition especially amongst the elderly, pregnant women, and above all, children between 0 and 5 years of age.  The period 2004-2005 was particularly severe as a result of drought, persistent poverty and low agricultural output. It was thus with the aim of combatting this dramatic situation of poor health and food insecurity with an improved diet, that, in 2006, the municipality began a project to produce spiruline, thanks to a decentralized cooperation partnership with Bretteville (France). Spiruline is a nutritional integrator in the form of an algae rich in protein that helps to stimulate the body’s natural defence system and fight malnutrition.

This initiative is noteworthy not only from a health perspective, where very good results were obtained, but also from a social and economic standpoint, having created some local jobs at the spiruline production farm and in the distribution chain.  Moreover, the modality of the farm management encouraged the local population to work side-by-side with the farm manager testifying to the value of this local partnership and the engagement of the local population.

Although certain technical constraints obliged the farm to halt production for a period, the experience testifies to how the engagement and sensibility of local communities, coupled with the involvement of a plurality of territorial actors could put in place and fuel a practice with important benefits for the local population, from a health, economic and social standpoint.