Senegal: Farmers Tell The Government: 'We Will Not Be Sacrificed'

An article published by Panos has shown the widespread concern amongst civil society, farmers and the rural poor in Senegal towards the government's policy to privatise the groundnut sector. Whilst the government faces pressure from the IMF and the World Bank to speed the process up, Senegal's farmers are still struggling after the government's attempt in 2002 to privatise part of the sector. This move left thousands of rural families on the brink of starvation and the government having to respond with a $23 million bailout package. The groundnut is Senegal's second-largest export earner and contributes 31% of the national GDP.