[ Analyse empirique des déterminants de la professionnalisation agricole des exploitations de la Région de Kédougou (Sénégal) ]
Bachir Coly1, Awa Ba2, and Malick TOURE3
1 Equipe de Recherche Agricultures et Développement Innovant des Territoires (ADIT), Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune DIOP (UAD), BP 30, Bambey, Senegal
2 Equipe de Recherche Agricultures et Développement Innovant des Territoires (ADIT), Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune DIOP (UAD), BP 30, Bambey, Senegal
3 Enseignant-chercheur en Economie-Finance, Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune Diop (UAD), Senegal
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This article examines the determinants of agricultural professionalization in Senegal based on an empirical study conducted in the Kédougou region, characterized by the predominance of low-intensity family farms. In this context marked by structural constraints particularly low human capital, limited market access, and still-fragile organizational structures agricultural professionalization emerges as a key lever for transforming the agricultural sector. The analysis relies on a mixed methodological approach combining descriptive statistics, the construction of an Agricultural Professionalization Index (API) using Principal Component Analysis, and econometric estimation. The data are drawn from surveys conducted among 347 producers who are members of producer organizations, complemented by interviews with institutional stakeholders. The results highlight a predominance (50%) of middle-aged producers (35-50 years), mostly male (56%), characterized by low levels of formal education (only 1% with higher education), but relatively benefiting from technical training and sustained organizational engagement (67%). Farms are predominantly small-scale (81% below 5 hectares), family-based, oriented toward cereal production, with land access largely inherited (59.9%). The findings reveal that agricultural professionalization is significantly influenced by human capital, organizational commitment, and the structural and economic characteristics of farms. They also demonstrate a strong complementarity among these dimensions, reflecting the multidimensional nature of the professionalization process. These results underscore the need to strengthen producers’ capacities, consolidate producer organizations, and improve the structural conditions of farms in order to support the sustainable transformation of Senegal’s agricultural sector.
Author Keywords: human capital, organizational commitment, agricultural professionalization, farm structures, producer organizations, Senegal, Kédougou.
Bachir Coly1, Awa Ba2, and Malick TOURE3
1 Equipe de Recherche Agricultures et Développement Innovant des Territoires (ADIT), Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune DIOP (UAD), BP 30, Bambey, Senegal
2 Equipe de Recherche Agricultures et Développement Innovant des Territoires (ADIT), Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune DIOP (UAD), BP 30, Bambey, Senegal
3 Enseignant-chercheur en Economie-Finance, Institut Supérieur de Formation Agricole et Rurale (ISFAR), Université Alioune Diop (UAD), Senegal
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This article examines the determinants of agricultural professionalization in Senegal based on an empirical study conducted in the Kédougou region, characterized by the predominance of low-intensity family farms. In this context marked by structural constraints particularly low human capital, limited market access, and still-fragile organizational structures agricultural professionalization emerges as a key lever for transforming the agricultural sector. The analysis relies on a mixed methodological approach combining descriptive statistics, the construction of an Agricultural Professionalization Index (API) using Principal Component Analysis, and econometric estimation. The data are drawn from surveys conducted among 347 producers who are members of producer organizations, complemented by interviews with institutional stakeholders. The results highlight a predominance (50%) of middle-aged producers (35-50 years), mostly male (56%), characterized by low levels of formal education (only 1% with higher education), but relatively benefiting from technical training and sustained organizational engagement (67%). Farms are predominantly small-scale (81% below 5 hectares), family-based, oriented toward cereal production, with land access largely inherited (59.9%). The findings reveal that agricultural professionalization is significantly influenced by human capital, organizational commitment, and the structural and economic characteristics of farms. They also demonstrate a strong complementarity among these dimensions, reflecting the multidimensional nature of the professionalization process. These results underscore the need to strengthen producers’ capacities, consolidate producer organizations, and improve the structural conditions of farms in order to support the sustainable transformation of Senegal’s agricultural sector.
Author Keywords: human capital, organizational commitment, agricultural professionalization, farm structures, producer organizations, Senegal, Kédougou.
Abstract: (french)
Cet article examine les déterminants de la professionnalisation agricole au Sénégal à partir d’une étude empirique conduite dans la région de Kédougou, caractérisée par la prédominance d’exploitations familiales faiblement intensifiées. Dans ce contexte marqué par des contraintes structurelles, notamment un faible capital humain, un accès limité aux marchés et des organisations encore peu consolidées, la professionnalisation constitue un enjeu central de transformation du secteur agricole. L’analyse repose sur une approche combinant statistiques descriptives, construction d’un indice de professionnalisation agricole (IPA) par analyse en composantes principales et estimation économétrique. Les données proviennent d’enquêtes réalisées auprès de 347 producteurs membres d’organisations de producteurs, complétées par des entretiens avec des acteurs institutionnels. Les résultats mettent en évidence une prédominance (50%) de producteurs d’âge intermédiaire (35-50 ans), majoritairement masculins (56%), caractérisés par un faible niveau d’instruction (1% de niveau supérieur), mais bénéficiant relativement de formations techniques et d’un engagement organisationnel soutenu (67%). Les exploitations sont essentiellement de petite taille (81% de moins de 5ha), à dominante familiale, orientées vers les cultures céréalières, avec un accès au foncier majoritairement hérité (59,9%). L’étude révèle que la professionnalisation agricole est significativement influencée par le capital humain, l’engagement organisationnel et les caractéristiques techniques et économiques des exploitations. Elles mettent également en évidence une forte complémentarité entre ces dimensions, traduisant la nature multidimensionnelle du processus de professionnalisation. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité de renforcer les capacités des producteurs, de consolider les organisations de producteurs et d’améliorer les conditions structurelles des exploitations afin de soutenir la transformation durable du secteur agricole sénégalais.
Author Keywords: capital humain, engagement organisationnel, professionnalisation agricole, exploitations agricoles, organisations de producteurs, Sénégal, Kédougou.
