KASOFOR

Resilience of island communities in Casamance in the face of climate change

The Kafountine island region is bearing the brunt of climate change, which is undermining the livelihoods of local communities: declining agricultural production, salinisation and rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and deterioration in human health, etc. This has resulted in food insecurity, the emigration of young people to cities and Europe, and the depletion and overexploitation of fishery and mangrove resources.

To address these challenges, the KASOFOR project is helping to create sustainable economic opportunities and strengthen local environmental governance. The main focus of the project is to improve essential services, i.e. access to electricity and water. There will also be a focus on preserving and restoring biodiversity and gender equality.

Our action

The KASOFOR project is the result of a partnership between three European NGOs active in Senegal: Fondem, Eclosio, and CEAS. Each with its own areas of expertise, the collaboration between these three organisations increases the impact of the project. The project was designed with a strong focus on the complementarity of the interventions between the three organisations in order to achieve a common goal.

The aim is to improve the long-term resilience of the populations of the Kafountine islands to climate change through a sustainable and triple-innovation territorial approach:

  • Economic: by creating sustainable economic opportunities through supporting the integration of 150 women and young people into promising and sustainable local value chains;
  • Technical: by improving access to and management of essential services (electricity and water);
  • Socio-organisational: by strengthening governance around sustainable natural resource management, supporting existing local structures and raising awareness among the population to stimulate citizen engagement.

Summary

Location: Casamance Delta, Senegal. Kafountine municipality, Bignona department.

Duration: 2024–2027 (3 years)

Consortium: Fondem (Fondation Energies pour le Monde – lead partner), CEAS, association

Operational partners: ASAPID, RIBC-GIZC (Network of the Islands of Lower Casamance for Integrated Coastal Zone Management,

Other partners: OFOR (Office des forages ruraux), PUDC (Programme d’Urgence de Développement Communautaire), ASER (institutional agency in charge of rural electrification), ANER (national agency for the promotion of renewable energies)

Financial partners: AFD (French Development Agency)

Budget: €1,500,000

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries

  • 150 women and young people are integrated into promising value chains on the islands of Hilol and Saloulou
  • At least 30 women fish processors in Diogué and 30 households (ice factory)
  • At least 100 fishermen and fishmongers in Diogué (ice factory)
  • At least 5,000 people in the target localities are made aware of the challenges of climate change, environmental protection and, in particular, mangrove ecosystems.
  • 100 schoolchildren from the target localities are introduced to eco-citizenship.
  • 2 operators in charge of water and electricity services on the target islands.
  • 2 local radio stations

Indirect beneficiaries

  • The local authorities of Kafountine (38,000 people) and Diembéring (20,924 people) are supported in managing inter-municipal issues and implementing their plan to combat the direct effects of climate change.
  • Local partners (RIBC-GIZC, ASAPID) are strengthened to better take into account the interests of island communities.
  • Households of the 150 people supported in the development of an economic activity
  • More broadly, the communities of the target islands with economic development and essential public services