Decentralization Policies and Rural Socio-Economic Growth in Senegal: An Exploration of Their Contributions to Development and Transformation

Bonoua Faye, Jeanne Colette Diéne, Guoming Du (), Chang’an Liang, Yao Dinard Kouadio, Edmée Mbaye and Yuheng Li ()
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Bonoua Faye: School of Public Administration and Law, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Jeanne Colette Diéne: School of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China
Guoming Du: School of Public Administration and Law, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Chang’an Liang: School of Economics and Management, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 456046, China
Yao Dinard Kouadio: School of Economics and Management, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China
Edmée Mbaye: Department of Geography, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar P.O. Box 5003, Senegal
Yuheng Li: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

World, 2024, vol. 5, issue 4, 1-23

Abstract: Since proclaiming independence in 1960, Senegal has faced economic and demographic imbalances across its regions. To address these disparities, the government launched decentralization policies in three major phases, aiming to stimulate socio-economic growth at the local level. This study examines the impact of these policies on urban–rural development using socio-economic data between 2000 and 2020, and a multiple linear regression model in the entirety of Senegal. The findings reveal significant correlations between rural population growth, access to electricity, fertilizer availability, and per capita cultivated land, all positively associated with agricultural productivity. Additionally, rapid urbanization (47.3%) and weak land tenure (88.6%) adversely affect ecological systems and contribute to the proliferation of slums. A notable lack of health facilities per capita highlights a severe gap in healthcare accessibility. The study suggests increasing agricultural income, creating jobs, and promoting policies that support rural collective entrepreneurship as critical steps. It also recommends adopting a “one ecological zone, one economic activity” strategy to reduce economic disparities and encourage sustainable development in rural Senegal.

Keywords: Senegal; decentralization; rural socio-economic reconstruction; sustainable society; collective entrepreneurship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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