Senegal
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Senegal is exposed to various climate hazards, and its economy is very sensitive to climate change. Adaptation policies, even if they are voluntary, are not systematised. This is detrimental to strong and resilient socio-ecological systems. Even worse, the populations still struggle to recognise the phenomenon of climate change and the associated consequences, according to the different repertoires of cognition.
Considering this, in 2021 and 2022, Oxfam launched the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) and Ford Climate Media Collaborative projects in Senegal, which aim to use communications to defend communities’ rights and change narratives in favour of economic justice and awareness of climate change. This study of The perception of climate change in Senegal was therefore carried out to provide reference elements that will form a basis for advocacy for Oxfam, its partners and the communities.
In simple terms, the study aims to understand and compare the perception of climate change in coastal areas of Senegal, with an emphasis on biodiversity, the coastal area and water resources. Consequently, nine towns and villages on the coast of Senegal, i.e.: Saint-Louis, Lompoul, Dakar (Fann), Guéréo, Bargny, Palmarin, Kafountine, Diogué and Kabrousse were chosen for this survey.
After this study, the profiles of the respondents, from a socio-demographic and socioprofessional point of view, are representative of the characteristics of Senegal as a whole. Knowledge of climate change within the communities is limited, unless it involves identifying the factual consequences and other impacts such as coastal erosion, heat waves, high winds, scarcity of fishery products, late arrival of rainfall, water supply problems etc.; this sometimes indicates confusion between climate change and deterioration of the environment, even if the qualitative survey made it possible to list the terms whereby the phenomenon is identified: “sopéeku alam bi” (deterioration of the environment), “sopéeku jaw ji (change in the climate), “sopéeku jamono ji (change in the environment) “Géej gi daffa aaye” (rough sea), “Look”, “Aaye “, “ Seer”, “ Kàajié” and “Jàw ji daa tang (warming of the environment). Consequently, if 45.6% of respondents consider that climate change is of natural origin, that is because divine punishment is indicated as the main cause, without ignoring moreover the anthropogenic factor, in particular as regards industry, described as “excessive human action”.
There is a real impact on biodiversity, in particular the poverty and salinisation of the soils. In the maritime domain, in Bargny the price of round sardinella, called locally “yaboye”, which has increased from €15 to €68 or even €75 in less than five years, shows the extent of the increasing scarcity of the main resources the communities live on. The drying up of watercourses can be seen along the coast, in particular in Guéréo, even if the problem of groundwater recharge is partly linked to the demographic weight and tourist planning, which exceed the technical capacities of the boreholes. Climate change is therefore not always to blame.
In view of this situation, the coastal communities are doing their best to adapt. In their perception, tradition still plays a part, in the sense that the protective spirits still show concern. We note however that the process of passing on this perception to the younger generation is not effective. Furthermore, perception of the factual existence of climate change determines whether the respondents adapt or not. We note that those at school are more inclined to adapt than those who are not educated. Even though the usual adaptation measures such as raising the awareness of regulations and best practice for fishing, introducing suitable crop varieties, water management, banning the removal of sea sand, reforestation etc. are implemented, the scale of the problem is such that they are not enough. From this point of view, they require strong measures, in particular no longer granting fishing permits, installing breakwaters, environmental migration and the search for other occupations which represent significant alternatives.
Finally, adaptation is experienced differently according to gender. Women are, in fact, doubly affected by their condition within the households, and their dependence on natural resources for processing and marketing activities for fishery products, or for harvesting, and marketing garden produce. However, they have a major role in adaptation, in particular in terms of commitment, mobilisation and awareness raising. Similarly, young people show a definite involvement in favour of awareness raising and reforestation measures. But it is men who are more likely to take part in the seminars, without really acting as a go between. However, the decision makers do not sufficiently involve the populations in the adaptation policies; it is instead the intervention of NGOs that is praised.
The quantitative survey shows that almost 43.1% of respondents showed weak commitment or no personal commitment to reducing the effects of climate change on biodiversity, whereas 56.9% showed moderate commitment. It should be noted that the lack of access to climate information and environmental education are harmful trends for commitment. Media treatment is not favourable to environmental issues, hence the need to better understand the populations’ perceptions, to structure and complete the adaptation policies more effectively from the standpoint of social acceptability, via a communication approach based on the media.
Senegal
Senegal
Senegal
Senegal + 3 more
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