A new step has just been taken in the promotion of agricultural entrepreneurship in Senegal. The Agency for the Development and Support of Small and Medium Enterprises (ADEPME) and the agricultural company FRAISEN signed an ambitious agreement this Thursday aimed at training 500 young agripreneurs, with a projection of 1,000 beneficiaries over two years.

This agreement marks the culmination of a long-term partnership built between ADEPME and FRAISEN.

A success story supported from the start

The relationship between the two organizations dates back to 2021. At that time, FRAISEN, then a fledgling entrepreneurial venture, received crucial support of 20 million FCFA through the Tourism and Enterprise Development Program (PDTE), funded by the World Bank. This grant, awarded following a business plan competition for post-COVID-19 economic recovery, enabled the company to consolidate its initial investment and launch its operations.

Three years later, in 2024, FRAISEN reached a new milestone thanks to the ETER program, also supported by the World Bank. The company received 18 million FCFA in support through a cost-shared fund, in the form of technical assistance.

This support enabled the digitalization of processes, the integration of ERP and CRM tools, the development of a mobile application, the implementation of an appointment booking system, the obtaining of HACCP certification, as well as the strengthening of digital marketing and audiovisual communication.

Result: FRAISEN has gone from being an agricultural startup to a structured, digitalized and competitive company, positioned on innovative crops such as strawberries, raspberries, sunflowers and garlic.

Training 500 young people: a strategic vision

The new agreement signed on February 26, 2026 opens a third phase: that of the transfer.

The pilot phase plans to train 500 young agripreneurs, with an ambition to reach 1,000 young people over two years.

The program is not limited to technical training. It offers an integrated pathway to agricultural entrepreneurship, including:

Mastery of modern agricultural techniques

The integration of digitalization into farm operations

Easy access to equipment

Support for formalization

Opening up to markets and financing

For ADEPME, this initiative illustrates a vision aligned with the National Transformation Agenda: supporting today's champions so that they become tomorrow's catalysts.

“The story of FRAISEN shows that when we believe in our entrepreneurs and support them at the right time, they become national role models. In 2021, we supported FRAISEN to the tune of 20 million FCFA. Today, this company is becoming a catalyst for 500 young people, with a potential of 1,000,” emphasizes the Director General of Adepme, Mr. Alpha THIAM.  

A concrete response to the challenges of youth employment

Beyond the figures, this agreement is part of a national dynamic to promote youth employment and to enhance agriculture as a strategic sector.

“Returning to the land is not a step backwards. It is a strategic return to wealth,” says Mr. Souleymane Agne, Promoter of the company FRAISEN.

Through this partnership, ADEPME and FRAISEN intend to demonstrate that agricultural innovation is possible in Senegal and that each trained young person constitutes a concrete alternative to irregular emigration.

As an institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ADEPME thus continues its mission of strengthening the competitiveness of Senegalese SMEs and their integration into national and international value chains.

With this agreement, a new generation of agripreneurs could well emerge, driven by the example of a company which, in a few years, has gone from a start-up to a structuring player in modern Senegalese agriculture.