Senegal: Nutrition Profile

Speeches Shim

Children eat a hearty lunch provided for them at a farmer training in Senegal.
  • Senegal

    Flag of Senegal

  • Population

    15.4 Million

  • Pop. Under 5

    2.5 Million

  • % Stunting

    17% Of Children Under 5

  • % Underweight

    14% Of Children Under 5

Photo credit: Karen Chaffraix and Kathleen Barclay

Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse consequences for child survival and long-term well-being. It also has far-reaching consequences for human capital, economic productivity, and national development overall. The consequences of malnutrition should be a significant concern for policy makers in Senegal, with 54 percent of women of reproductive age and 66 percent of children under 5 years suffering from anemia, which impairs growth and development in young children.

USAID Programs: Accelerating Progress in Nutrition

As of January 2018, the following USAID programs with a focus on nutrition were active in Senegal. The U.S. Government selected Senegal as one of 12 Feed the Future target countries for focused investment under the new U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy. Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, emphasizes agriculture as a driver of economic growth through a strategy that encompasses five core investment areas: agriculture, nutrition, policy, infrastructure, and institutional capacity. In Senegal, Feed the Future supports rice activities in the Senegal River Valley, maize activities in the Southern Forest Zone, and fisheries activities in the Sine Saloum Delta.

  • Feed the Future Senegal Cultivating Nutrition
  • Senegal Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project (SENWASH)
  • Senegal Health Project

 

For more information, read the Senegal country profile [PDF, 224KB].