Titre : Diversity of innovation processes in the Niayes market gardening system (Senegal): between conventional intensification and agro‐ecological transition 

Auteurs : Patrick Dugué, Victor Kettela, Isabelle Michel, Serge Simon,  

Revue : Technology and Innovation 

Numéro : Issue 2 

Volume : 2 

Date : 2017/03/2 

DOI : 10.21494/ISTE.OP.2017.0112 

ISSN : 2399-8571 

Résumé : The development of the vegetable sector in Senegal is based on technical innovations such as motorpumping, use of inputs and net-shades, among others. A survey of 22 market gardeners in southern Niayes shows the diversity of the innovation processes and the common driving factors. Exchanges between workers of vegetable exporters and market gardeners in the same region enabled for the adoption of localized (drip) irrigation. The use of natural inputs (biopesticides, repellents, organic fertilizers) which meet "agro-ecological" specifications is promoted by NGOs. Finally, different vegetable crop associations have been designed and adopted by innovative gardeners to address the reduction of surfaces although they are not yet "disseminated". These examples highlight the capacities of West African farmers to innovate and adapt. They question the type of methods and tools needed to accompany these processes without limiting the creativity of the farmers nor the flexibility and performance of local innovation systems that they managed to create. 

Éditeur : ISTE OpenScience