Deal #3433

These communities are pastoral herders and farmers, with deep roots in these lands. They raise goats, cattle, horses, sheep and donkeys. They grow sweet potato, rice, watermelon, tomatoes, onions and potatoes.

Senegal herders demand return of grazing grounds controlled by Senhuile The land was declassified by presidential decrees without the consultation or agreement of the local population, who are considering suing AAGR in the U.S.

Initially the community was not consulted,they learnt about the installation of the project the day the machines began clearing their land. However, they were consulted during the social impact assessment conducted in 2013. In January 2014, a memorandum was signed between the communities and companies, which details their respective responsibilities. However the MOU does not ensure that the commitments made by the company are binding. Never free and informed consent as meetings were just an attempt by the company to convince the communities about the benefits of the project.

The local community have rejected the project since its inception. They live from agriculture and livestock, if the government allocates their land to investors they will no longer have enough to live on. The community asked the government to allocate the land to themselves rather than the company. Heavy protests by locals causing fatal casualties forced the project to be relocated. Protests continue in newly assigned area.In addition to the deaths caused by the protests three children have drowned in irrigation canals dug by the company. Villagers have traveled to Europe, to the offices of Tampieri, in February 2014 to try to halt the project. The local communities got together and created the Collectif de Défense des Intérêts du Ndiael (Association for the Defence of the Interests of Ndiael) which comprises of 37 villages affected by the project with civil society organisations such as ENDA PRONAT, ACTION AID, and CNCR. The communities want the state to cancel the 20,000 ha concession and give them their lands back. They also want reparations for the damages suffered over the years – loss of lives, livelihoods, land and animals – and are thinking of going to court for that. Local communities feel marginalized and are demanding their grievances be addressed by the government.They oppose the cultivation of fodder for export on land they consider vital for their own agricultural nee

The land was originally located in the area of Fanaye, east of Ngnith, in the department of Podor. The communities there were not consulted, however, and they did not accept the project. They rose up in protest, demanding their lands back, again and again. One day in late October 2011 violence broke out, resulting in the death of two villagers and severe injuries for dozens more. The country was shocked, and the project halted. the population refused the presidential decree allocating the 20,000 ha to Senhuile. Another source says that :"there are several conflicts in this area between the investor and the local population. They lose their animals sometimes because of the barbed wire set up by the investors". There's opposition to using the land for fodder cultivation for export rather than local agricultural needs.

9000 people in 40 villages (another source mentions as many as 55 villages) are affected, however none have been displaced. The company has established plantations 300-500m from the villages. The company has taken away grazing land, land for cultivation, water collection points and collection of timber. In some cases households are enclosed by the plantations. Populations living close to the project are constantly being forced with eviction.

Back in March 2011, local authorities signed a protocol granting a 20,000 hectare land concession to a company called Senhuile SA, which at the time said it would use it to produce biofuel for export. The land was originally located in the area of Fanaye, east of Ngnith, in the department of Podor. The communities there were not consulted, however, and they did not accept the project. They rose up in protest, demanding their lands back, again and again. One day in late October 2011 violence broke out, resulting in the death of two villagers and severe injuries for dozens more. The country was shocked, and the project halted. Months later, it was relocated to the Ndiaël region, just before Macky Sall came to power. In August 2012, he confirmed its go ahead via presidential decree. In 2022, it was reported that 37 villages of herders and their families, who consider themselves victims of a giant land speculation, are still there, without access to their land. Hydrologists warn the use of pesticides during the cultivation of alfalfa will contaminate the nearby Lake Guiers, which provides 65% of the capital Dakar’s drinking water

The lease did not provide for the community to be compensated for their loss of access to land for grazing and collecting of other natural resources. However, the company has allocated a portion (size unknown) to the communities for grazing- this land is not sufficient. Indeed In a memoranda of understanding, Senhuile agrees to provide 0.3 hectares to the families of the local communities. 189 hectares has been distributed by Senhuile to some families. The company has made various donations and support for the populations, Senhuile began paying an exceptional budgetary support to the commune, 40 million CFA francs for 2014. In 2015, the local treasure will receive CHF 20 million as annual financial support decided by a common agreement. As a form of compensation, AAGR says it will sell part of its alfalfa production to local herders for their livestock. But this hasn’t gone down well in a region where grazing has been practiced for free for generations.

From 2012 until 2017, the investors promised all sort of things − they boasted that they would build schools and health clinics, and send nearby villagers on the Hajj. But little came of all this except for speculation, grave financial distress. The company promised to build walls around the local cemetery. The company has given all the villagers affected a total of 50 000tonnes of fodder once. Senhuile it is also committed in the creation of two micro-projects: the creation of three community gardens by each hectare (land made available from the villages and not by the company) for women, and the construction of four classrooms. Senhuile didn’t last long, failing to use 90% of its concession as required and build local infrastructure projects

Very few benefits have been delivered to the community to date.

The land was originally located in the area of Fanaye, east of Ngnith, in the department of Podor. The communities there were not consulted, however, and they did not accept the project. They rose up in protest, demanding their lands back, again and again. One day in late October 2011 violence broke out, resulting in the death of two villagers and severe injuries for dozens more. The country was shocked, and the project halted. It was relocated to the Ndiaël region. In March 2023, it was eported that the protest against the farm has resumed in earnest. This time, the Collective for the Defence of the Land of Ndiaël, associated with international NGOs such as GRAIN, are considering filing a complaint in the U.S.