Senegal's economy is largely based on agriculture, which is practiced by almost 70% of the working population and contributes 9.4% of national GDP and 62.8% of the value of the primary sector (ANSD, 2017-2018). This agriculture has numerous potentialities, including abundant surface and groundwater resources (35 billion m3 of renewable surface water and 4 billion m3 of groundwater) and arable land (4 million ha of arable land equivalent to 385 ha per 1,000 inhabitants compared with a world average of 86 ha per 1,000 inhabitants) suitable for agricultural production (APIX Sénégal, 2020). Despite its potential, Senegal's mainly rain-fed agriculture is struggling to meet the food needs of its population due to several constraints. These include the low level of agricultural intensification, characterized by low levels of mechanization, poor water and soil fertility management, non-compliance with good agricultural practices, and the use of low-yielding seed varieties that are highly susceptible to attacks by pests and diseases. In addition, climate change and variability have adverse effects on agricultural productivity (IFAD, 2020).

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The impact of climate change on agricultural production and food security is now recognized as one of the world's greatest challenges, especially in African countries such as Senegal (IPCC, 2007). Indeed, rising temperatures and dwindling water availability are leading to a reduction in agricultural production and, consequently, in food availability for a steadily growing population (from 17 million at present, Senegal's population is expected to reach 40 million by 2050 (FAOSTAT, 2019)). Thus, to cope with the negative impacts and adapt to this climatic context, sustainable intensification of the production systems is proving to be one of the best alternatives for achieving food and nutritional sovereignty.

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To this end, several strategies, technologies, and innovations are proposed by universities and research institutions. These technologies and innovations are less well known and made accessible to producers, NGOs, and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Thus, opportunities for exchange through conferences, seminars and training and knowledge transfer workshops between the various actors need to be promoted and multiplied. Similarly, youth involvement in the intensification of agriculture, the development and dissemination of new technologies and innovations related to climate shocks should be encouraged. It is in this context that this symposium, organized by students in the Agronomy Department at Université Gaston Berger, in Plant Biology Department at UCAD and ENSA in Thiés, in partnership with Kansas State University, is being held, focusing on sustainable and resilient agricultural production in the face of climate risks.

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