Targeted Involvement of Women in Iodized Salt Related Microenterprises Contributes to the Empowerment and Improved Social-economic Status of Participating Women in Senegal

Abstract

Objectives: Senegal is the largest producer and trader of salt in West Africa with ~200,000 MT of its 500,000 MT annual yield produced by small salt farmers, mostly comprised of women who face legal, economic and socio-cultural constraints. Micronutrient Initiative is working with the Senegal government's inter-Ministerial Commission to Fight Malnutrition to reinforce the salt iodization program and to achieve universal salt iodization. Program approaches include supporting salt farmers to set-up salt iodization related micro-enterprises to reinforce the capacity of salt farmers to sustainably handle salt iodization. We completed a situation assessment, plan development and implementation whose objective was to systematically review business practices and apply findings through training female salt farmers to sustainably and significantly contribute to increasing the supply of adequately iodized salt through implementation of well articulated and implemented business plans. Methods: Market analyses were conducted in one site among 60 respondents.  The resulting business plan formulation and management was disseminated to female salt farmers and community groups, including supportive mentoring and monitoring throughout implementation of business plans for related micro-enterprises. Results: We found that active involvement of female salt farmers in decision making process within salt production area, household and communities increased female salt farmers' incomes, household asset ownership, self confidence and contributions in essential household expenditures such as education and health care, and iodized salt production. Conclusions: Supporting female salt farmers to set-up salt iodization related micro-enterprises contributed to the empowerment of rural women, improvement of quality of family life and the supply of adequately iodized salt.