Managing (South) Africa and Senegal Sustainability Targets through Economic-diversification of Rural-areas (MASSTER)

In subsaharan africa (SSA) agriculture and farming are a major source of livelihood contributing with up to 40% of GDP and providing livelihood for over 70% of the population dependent on family farming that employs around 40% of the SAA active workforce. Nevertheless, regional agricultural development potential remains severely underexploited among others due to continuous rural – urban migration patterns within the countries, and large population migration flows to bordering countries and Europe.

MASSTER project explores venues of support provision to SSA agricultural students and farmers offering innovative educational and training tools, implemented through HEIs greater involvement in community development and whole of society approach within the agricultural/rural development and migration/mobility nexus. The project seeks to offer an effective migration control framework within the targeted countries addressing SDGs sustainability targets in a number of pivotal domains – zero hunger, quality education, decent work and economic growth, and responsible consumption and production through enhanced food security.

Specifically, 6 partner HEIs in Senegal and South Africa are supported to address the: a) needs of local farmers to conduct incomegeneration activities on their farms, b) needs of extension services to provide relevant training (with income-generation potential) for farmers, c) needs of municipalities to better manage economic migrations including from rural areas. In doing so, MASSTER will: analyze risk factors causing migrations and those discouraging them, devising most relevant training programs for income-generation potential of (future) farmers; provide HEIs and extension service with TOT enabling them to jointly perform effective training sessions for farmers and students; support HEIs to develop effective migration management mechanisms also through initiation of a whole of society approach within agriculture and migration nexus.