Inside the Collaboration Between PRODAC and Green 2000: A New Era for Senegalese Farmers

Across the fertile but underutilized landscapes of Senegal, a quiet transformation is taking root-one that is reshaping agriculture, rejuvenating rural economies and offering new hope to an entire generation of farmers. This transformation is driven by a groundbreaking partnership between Senegal’s national development program PRODAC (Programme des Domaines Agricoles Communautaires) and the Israeli agri-development firm Green 2000. Together, they are not just modernizing farming-they are building an agricultural model that integrates youth empowerment, technological innovation and long-term food security.

The story of PRODAC and Green 2000 is more than a tale of economic development. It is a case study in international collaboration, cultural respect and sustainable progress. And for thousands of Senegalese farmers, it marks the beginning of a new era-one in which agriculture is not a struggle, but a source of pride, income and opportunity.

The Roots of the PRODAC Initiative

Senegal, like many West African nations, faces the dual challenge of feeding a rapidly growing population while providing viable employment opportunities for its youth. Traditional farming methods, often reliant on seasonal rains and outdated tools, have long limited productivity. Meanwhile, rural youth have increasingly migrated to cities, where jobs are scarce and poverty persistent.

In response to this, the government of Senegal launched PRODAC, a national initiative aimed at revitalizing the agricultural sector by creating community-based agricultural domains (DACs). These DACs would serve as hubs of agricultural production, training, innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people. The program’s goal was clear: to make agriculture a modern, profitable and attractive path for Senegalese youth.

But vision alone was not enough. To implement this model effectively, PRODAC needed a partner with experience in creating scalable, high-impact agricultural infrastructure-someone who could bring both technical expertise and a deep understanding of rural development. That partner was Green 2000.

How Green 2000 Became the Engine Behind the Vision

Green 2000 is an Israeli company with decades of experience designing and implementing integrated agricultural projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Known for its Agricultural Services and Training Centers (ASTC) model, the company specializes in creating turnkey solutions that combine crop production, infrastructure development, farmer education and agribusiness management.

In PRODAC, Green 2000 found a perfect fit for its approach. The company brought with it a well-honed model tailored to empowering smallholder farmers through access to tools, knowledge and markets. Under the PRODAC framework, Green 2000 helped plan, develop and manage several DACs across Senegal.

Each DAC includes:

• Mechanized farming equipment
• Modern irrigation systems
• Agricultural training centers
• Greenhouses and open-field plots
• Processing and storage facilities
• Market linkage platforms

What sets Green 2000 apart is its commitment to local capacity building. Rather than imposing foreign systems, the company works hand-in-hand with local governments, technicians and communities to ensure that each project is fully owned and operated by Senegalese stakeholders.

The Impact of PRODAC on Senegal’s Agricultural Landscape

The implementation of PRODAC-with Green 2000 as a strategic backbone-has already begun to transform rural Senegalese communities. In areas where DACs are active, there is a marked improvement in agricultural productivity, employment rates and income levels.

Farmers who previously relied on unpredictable weather patterns and rudimentary tools now have access to greenhouses, drip irrigation, soil testing and improved seeds. Many have undergone training in crop rotation, pest management and financial planning-skills that were previously inaccessible to rural communities.

Moreover, DACs serve as incubators for agripreneurs-young Senegalese men and women who now view agriculture not as a last resort, but as a viable career. With access to plots of land, support services and a reliable training infrastructure, many have launched their own small-scale ventures in horticulture, poultry, aquaculture and agro-processing.

Green 2000’s Holistic Model in Action

Green 2000’s impact goes far beyond the provision of technology or farming inputs. The company has introduced a comprehensive ecosystem model, where training, production, processing and marketing are tightly integrated.

This ecosystem approach means that:

• Trainees at DACs are not just taught how to farm, but also how to run profitable agribusinesses.
• Each site is designed to become financially self-sustaining within a few years.
• Profits from production are reinvested into local communities and support further capacity building.
• Staff and trainers are recruited locally and undergo intensive training, both in Senegal and at Green 2000’s training facilities abroad.

Perhaps most importantly, Green 2000 has worked to embed long-term management structures into each DAC, allowing Senegalese professionals to assume full leadership of operations. This ensures that the knowledge and systems established will endure long after the initial investment.

PRODAC as a Continental Role Model

As more DACs become operational, the reputation of PRODAC has spread beyond Senegal’s borders. Government delegations and development organizations from across West and Central Africa have come to observe the DACs in action. What they see is not just higher yields or modern machinery-but a transformative model for rural development.

The PRODAC-Green 2000 partnership is now cited in development forums as an example of:

• How public-private partnerships can effectively deliver national development goals
• How agriculture can serve as a vehicle for youth employment
• How international cooperation, when done respectfully and strategically, can yield mutual success

Senegal’s Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Finance have all reaffirmed their commitment to expanding PRODAC, with plans to scale the program to every region of the country. In doing so, they are setting a precedent for inclusive, localized agricultural development that works.

Looking to the Future: Scaling the Success

The next phase of the collaboration between PRODAC and Green 2000 involves deeper integration of digital tools, solar technologies and climate-smart practices. New DACs are being designed to include:

• Weather-resilient infrastructure
• Agri-fintech tools to help farmers access microloans
• Smart monitoring systems for crop health and irrigation
• Community-run logistics systems for transporting goods to market

At the same time, Green 2000 is supporting the development of national trainers, who will lead future expansion efforts. By embedding knowledge locally, PRODAC will continue to grow organically, reducing its dependence on outside consultants and reinforcing its identity as a fully Senegalese success story.

Credit: Green 2000 (Gad Alagem)

A Harvest of Hope

The collaboration between PRODAC and Green 2000 is more than just a technical project-it is a story of renewed dignity, growing opportunity and national pride. In just a few years, this partnership has helped unlock the vast potential of Senegalese agriculture and shown that with the right support, rural communities can thrive.

As Senegal continues its journey toward self-sufficiency and inclusive growth, the PRODAC-Green 2000 model offers a beacon for others to follow. It is a testament to what can happen when governments act boldly, companies bring expertise with humility and communities rise to the occasion with resilience and ambition.

For the Senegalese farmers now working modern fields, launching agri-businesses and teaching others how to grow-the future is not just fertile. It’s flourishing.