TRIP REPORT
USAID Senegal Bilateral Programs and AfricaLink
Dakar
June 4-6, 1997

The USAID/AfricaLink Advisor visited Dakar, Sénégal primarily to consult with newly contracted staff of the West Africa AfricaLink Help Desk. While in Dakar, discussions were held with staff of USAID/Dakar concerning their bilateral programs and possibilities for collaboration with the more regional activities of AfricaLink.

USAID/Dakar has an information management team. Discussions with the team as well as with senior agriculture program staff included a briefing on the regional work of AfricaLink and its specific impact in Senegal, as well as a briefing on the activities of the Mission's information management team. The Mission team escorted the AfricaLink Advisor on a tour of Mission facilities. A small laboratory might be used for trainings. In programmatic discussions, particular interest was paid to the request for assistance from ISRA, a major Senegalese institute for agricultural research.

A visit was paid to ISRA with Moussa Fall of the AfricaLink Help Desk. The ISRA proposal was reviewed. ISRA is proposing a local dedicated high speed network within Dakar, with dialup facilities for some 18 research stations around the country, linked to the Internet via an existing REFER line. Discussions focused on the financial limitations of AfricaLink and possible partial funding arrangements. Also discussed were possible lower cost options for ISRA networking.

ISRA agreed to forward to AfricaLink/Washington a comparison of their plan with other options to demonstrate more clearly the appropriateness of their funding proposal. As of this writing, this comparison has been received. A draft response has been sent to ISRA for consideration. After reviewing their reply, a final response will be circulated to USAID/Dakar and to the Leland Initiative for funding consideration.

Persons Visited:

• Francois Faye, agriculture programs
• Abdou Ndiaye, Information Team
• Ibrahima Sene, Information Team

ISRA

• Ababacar Si Bo
• Johnson