- Title: Rising food costs hamper Senegal Ramadan traditions
- Date: 12th April 2022
- Summary: THIAROYE-SUR-MER, SENEGAL (APRIL 7, 2022) (Reuters) PORRIDGE VENDOR ASTOU MANDIANG AT LOCAL MARKET, PREPARING MEAL TO BREAK FAST DURING RAMADAN, IN THE COURTYARD OF HER HOUSE VARIOUS OF MANDIANG CUTTING ONIONS MANDIANG POUNDING ONIONS VARIOUS OF MANDIANG SPREADING PREPERATION ONTO BREAD VARIOUS OF MANDIANG BREAKING THE FAST WITH HER FAMILY WITH BREAD, COFFEE, MAYONNAISE AND BEANS (SOUNDBITE) (Wolof) PORRIDGE VENDOR, ASTOU MANDIANG, SAYING: "Food is so expensive during Ramadan, so I anticipate extra expenses. I save, for example, 100 francs (0.16 USD) a day before Ramadan starts, I bought food that were likely to increase in price, such as onions. When I went to the market and saw the increase in onion prices, I was reassured to have it in stock because I had anticipated it. It won't last until the end of the month, but it will last us a while. " VOLUNTEERS FROM "NDIMBËL JABOOT" (FAMILY HELP) BRINGING DONATIONS TO MANDIANG MANDIANG PUTTING AWAY DONATIONS MANDIANG CHECKING ON MEAL MANDIANG WALKING IN COURTYARD WHERE FAMILY WILL BREAK FAST MANDIANG LOOKING THROUGH BOX SAYING SHE WILL USE THE SUGAR AND THE OIL THE ASSOCIATION GAVE HER (SOUNDBITE) (Wolof) PORRIDGE VENDOR, ASTOU MANDIANG, SAYING: "We don't know, it depends on the seller, when we buy produce at the market and we get our change back, it feels like a mistake, but the seller says prices have gone up. So, we just pray to God, there nothing else we can do." THIAROYE-SUR-MER, SENEGAL (APRIL 6, 2022) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF NGAGNE SEBORE , PRESIDENT OF THE A LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION ASSOCIATION NDIMBËL JABOOT (FAMILY HELP IN LOCAL WOLOF LANGUAGE) AND VOLUNTEERS WALKING TOWARDS SHOP VARIOUS OF SEBORE COUNTING DONATIONS RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION ASSOCIATION NDIMBËL JABOOT, PRESIDENT, NGAGNE SEBORE, SAYING: "Before Ramadan, a number of families contacted me, some of them were crying when they called me and it is very difficult. The price of rice has gone up, same for sugar and oil, so it's very difficult. In Senegal, there is good will, Mashallah, but not much." VARIOUS OF SEBORE ORDERING FOOD FROM A SUPPLIER (SOUNDBITE) (French) LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION ASSOCIATION NDIMBËL JABOOT, PRESIDENT, NGAGNE SEBORE, SAYING: "A bag of rice, this year costs 13,750 XOF (23 USD) last year it was 12,500 XOF (21 USD), the prices have increased on the market." SEBORE PAYING (SOUNDBITE) (Wolof) TRADER, ABDOU LAHAT DIOP, SAYING: "At the moment, negotiating with suppliers is really not easy. It is as hard for them as it is for us. The hardest thing is to get the goods because there is a lot of shortage." DAKAR, SENEGAL (APRIL 6, 2022) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ACTION AGAINST HUNGER, MAMADOU DIOP, COMMENTING ON THE VARIOUS FOOD CHALLENGES IN THE REGION (SOUNDBITE) (English) WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ACTION AGAINST HUNGER, MAMADOU DIOP, SAYING: "The situation is serious and dangerous because even the usual foods for traditional consumption in Senegal are mostly imported. This means that today we are clearly dependent on external logistics, we are also clearly dependent on the rise in external prices. For example, the livestock that comes from Mali, with the crisis there and the ECOWAS sanctions, it clearly explains the rise in the price of meat at market level because the livestock no longer crosses the borders." THIAROYE-SUR-MER, SENEGAL (APRIL 7, 2022) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS LOADING A PICK-UP WITH RICE AND SUGAR PICK-UP LEAVING THE MARKET AND ARRIVING IN THE DISTRICTS OF THIAROYE VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS CARRYING FOOD TO A BENEFICIARY'S HOUSE A VOLUNTEER KNOCKING ON BENEFICIARY'S DOOR SEBORE EXPLAINING TO BARRY DJIBY DIALLO, A BLIND FATHER OF 5, THAT HE WILL RECEIVE DONATIONS FROM THE ASSOCIATION DIALLO THANKING THE VOLUNTEERS (SOUNDBITE) (WOLOF) FOOD BENEFICIARY, BARRY DJIBY DIALLO SAYING: "It is very hard, can you imagine, we have no oil, we have no rice, we struggle to find food, and by the grace of God we received this today, we did not expect it. We went to the market without being able to buy oil. If we were cooking dinner tonight, it would have been without oil. The shortage is real, but we thank the Lord, as you can see I live in this room with all my family, this is all I have." VARIOUS OF DIALLO AND THE VOLUNTEERS SAYING A PRAYER ONE OF DIALLO'S CHILDREN TAKING HOME THE DONATIONS
- Embargoed: 26th April 2022 11:27
- Keywords: Ramadan Senegal africa climate change hunger market poverty
- Location: DAKAR AND THIAROYE SUR MER, SENEGAL
- City: DAKAR AND THIAROYE SUR MER, SENEGAL
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Africa,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001090611042022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:There was no meat in the large silver bowl around which Astou Mandiang and her family would gather after breaking fast at nightfall in Senegal's capital Dakar, where Muslims celebrating the holy month of Ramadan are feeling the pinch of inflation.
Fish, cheaper than meat in the ocean-facing country, is now the only animal protein Mandiang can afford for her family.
Food prices in West Africa have increased by between 20 and 30 percent over the past five years, driven by a fall in production and availability, aid agencies say.
Drought and conflict have pushed millions off farmland, stalling food production, while pandemic-linked border closures disrupted supply chains.
The war in Ukraine is likely to add pressure during a time in which Muslim households up spending on food and beverage to cater for visiting family, neighbors and those in need.
the 64-year-old, who scrapes a living by selling porridge on the side of the road, was still grateful because she was able to stock up on onions, key to most traditional dishes, before increased demand during Ramadan further pushed up prices.
"Food is so expensive during Ramadan, so I anticipate extra expenses. I save, for example, 100 francs (USD) a day before Ramadan starts, I bought food that were likely to increase in price, such as onions. When I went to the market and saw the increase in onion prices, I was reassured to have it in stock because I had anticipated it. It won't last until the end of the month, but it will last us a while", she said.
She was also grateful for Ndimbël Jaboot, Family Help in English, a local association who distributes food to families in need during Ramadan.
The family received oil, sugar and rice all of which had increased prices at the market.
"We don't know, it depends on the seller, when we buy produce at the market and we get our change back, it feels like a mistake, but the seller says prices have gone up. So, we just pray to God, there nothing else we can do," she adds.
The president of the Ndimbël Jaboot association, Ngagne Sebore, says they are also struggling this year as they will only be able to support 80 families this year, compared to 90 during last Ramadan.
"Before Ramadan, a number of families contacted me, some of them were crying when they called me and it is very difficult. The price of rice has gone up, same for sugar and oil, so it's very difficult. In Senegal, there is good will, Mashallah, but not much," he said
Most of the food traditionally consumed in Senegal, including the staple rice, is imported.
"We depend on external logistics," Action Against Hunger regional representative Mamadou Diop told Reuters.
Economic sanctions over a military coup in neighboring Mali, for example, have increased the price of beef in Senegal because Malian livestock can no longer be sold across the border, he explained.
Cooking oil is 50 percent more expensive at Dakar markets this year. The price of rice has risen by around 10 percent.
For the families that benefit from Ndimbël Jaboot's donation, it is a major relief.
"It is very hard, can you imagine, we have no oil, we have no rice, we struggle to find food, and by the grace of God we received this today, we did not expect it. We went to the market without being able to buy oil. If we were cooking dinner tonight, it would have been without oil. The shortage is real, but we thank the Lord, as you can see I live in this room with all my family, this is all I have," said Barry Djiby Diallo.
(Elodie Toto, Christophe Van Der Perre) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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