A WORD FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
As 2023 comes to a close, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my colleagues on the Executive Board, whose exceptional work in research and policy dialogue has been invaluable. I also wish to express my gratitude to the members of the Board of Directors, whose commitment has enabled the successful execution of our planned activities.
In the African context, where rapid and complex transformations are being driven by shocks such as the repercussions of COVID-19—to which humanity is still humanity is still trying to adapt to—we have focused on bolstering our resilience to better align with current priorities. Drawing from the insights gained during these times of change, the Board of Directors adopted a new strategic plan aimed at transforming smallholder agrisilvopastoral and fisheries farms with a partnership-based, collaborative approach that emphasizes evidence-based data generation, strategic analysis, and both thematic and
territorial foresight.
Our 2023 initiatives have reinforced our deep integration within local regions. The growing trust that local stakeholders place in IPAR’s offerings, aimed at transforming these areas into vibrant environments rather than isolated entities, was exemplified by the renewal of our partnership with the Department of Podor, following the economic forum, supported by the Feed the Future Senegal Policy Systems Services (PSS) and carried out by the DAI-IPAR consortium, with funding from USAID. The Fanaye forum (Department of Podor) an extension of the Podor forum, has provided valuable training to large groups of young people and women entrepreneurs about the pressing challenges of unemployment, rural exodus, and irregular migration.
At national and international level, IPAR initiated a range of discussions at both the national and international levels, including webinars, scientific events, conferences, and exchange meetings. These platforms fostered multistakeholder dialogue on key issues such as land tenure (National Land Tenure Forum in Senegal), agroecological transition (JAES 2023), and the management of water resources in transboundary basins. These efforts were particularly evident through partnerships with the RIMRural platform in Mauritania, supported by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) with funding from the European Union, as well as through the Hydro-diplomacy virtual platform, etc.
In terms of research, IPAR continued to provide evidencebased data to inform policy-making. This included strengthening partnerships in the sanitation sector with research institutions from the WAEMU think tank network, through the creation and leadership of a working group.
In Senegal, IPAR was asked by the Ministry for Women, the Family and the Protection of Children to design and conduct national consultations as part of the National Conference on Women’s Entrepreneurship and Empowerment of Women, chaired by the President of the Republic of Senegal and
drew nearly 10,000 participants.
It was an opportunity to formalize the meetings and take important decisions in favor of women
entrepreneurs.
The 2023 Activity Report, which follows, will offer further details on the past year’s initiatives, highlighting the valuable lessons learned and key areas to focus on as we strive to maintain IPAR’s standing as an independent benchmark institution for the analysis and debate on national and regional public policies.
In closing, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all our technical and financial partners whose support has made these initiatives possible, with a special note of gratitude to the Hewlett Foundation for their continued trust and unwavering support.
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