Since 2024, GeoMedia has been supporting the Senegalese-German Partnership Programme for Employment and Strengthening Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The programme aims to foster the baobab value chain and to boost job creation within the Senegalese baobab industry. It is implemented by GIZ and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

In close collaboration with the African Baobab Alliance (ABA) and its local partner, Baobab des Saveurs, GeoMedia delivered a variety of services, such as helping to conceptualise and organise a four-day training course on value creation for Senegalese stakeholders in the baobab sector, including SMEs, NGOs, exporters and state institutions. We also provided technical advice on designing and implementing a public-private roundtable with a view to develop and institutionalise the baobab value chain sector in Senegal, and supported the first roundtable event. In this context, GeoMedia was also appointed as advisory member of the task force Baobab Durable, which brings together representatives of the Senegalese government (environment, trade), research and the private sector – from harvesting to the production of ingredients and consumer products.

In early 2025, the annual ABA conference took place in Senegal, in parallel to the 13th pan-African ABS workshop of the ABS Capacity Development Initiative. GeoMedia facilitated networking and joint learning between the two communities by organising a field trip to Baobab des Saveurs, followed by a joint workshop day for both groups.

For more information about the Partnership Programme, please find below the report from a planning workshop in May 2025 (French, PDF, ca. 1 MB).