Senegal: Launch of a large-scale volunteer program focused on agriculture and youth employability
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko recently launched the “1,000 Agricultural Volunteers Program” in Thiès— a flagship initiative aimed at mobilizing the youth around national development priorities, starting with the agricultural sector. This program marks a new era of civic engagement in Senegal and aims to gradually expand to other key sectors of the economy.
This initial agricultural phase is designed to make young volunteers active agents of public action while boosting their employability through hands-on training and close mentorship. These young people will play a catalytic role within rural communities, contributing to the modernization and enhancement of agricultural activities.
On this occasion, Ousmane Sonko also announced the upcoming creation of Africa’s largest employment-focused transformation center. This center— a first on the continent— will be dedicated to training, equipping, and guiding young people toward sustainable professional integration, aligned with the actual needs of the labor market.
The Prime Minister recalled that the National Civic Service and the volunteer framework have been repositioned under the direct authority of the Prime Minister’s Office. This reform aims to make it a true strategic tool for implementing public policies for economic and social development.
Although the program begins with agriculture, it is expected to quickly extend to other strategic sectors such as health, education, commerce, culture, environment, digital technology, civil protection, and crafts. This multisectoral approach is intended to enable broader and more inclusive youth mobilization, actively involving Senegalese youth in the transformation of the country.
Through this initiative, the government seeks to strengthen national cohesion while offering concrete opportunities to young people— a central pillar of the new leadership’s vision for change.
