Socio-economic importance and constraints of oyster exploitation in Senegal [résumé]

Oyster exploitation is an ancient activity practiced in various regions of Senegal, mainly by women. Today, this activity generates income that meets the most basic needs of the people involved in this sector. The main objective of this study was to assess the importance and socio-economic constraints of oyster farming in Senegal. The study consisted firstly in determining the socio-economic effects of oyster farming on household living conditions, secondly in identifying the sector's constraints, and thirdly in analyzing oyster exploitation methods. To do this, a multi-question questionnaire and an interview guide were used to gather all the necessary information from 173 stakeholders in the Saloum Delta, Casamance, Petite Côte (Joal-Fadiouth) and Dakar. The survey results show that oyster exploitation is expanding with new members, and that operators' income covers most of their needs. They also show that the oyster production sector is evolving with the adoption of new harvesting techniques such as oyster farming, in addition to the natural harvesting of oysters in mangroves. The organization of women into MSEs has lightened the workload and added value to the oysters. However, the sector is facing problems linked mainly to the effects of climate change, oversalination of water and bio-aggressors, which have a considerable impact on oyster quality. The customer base and access to outlets pose serious marketing problems and tend to influence oyster quality.