Challenges to food security in a changing environment: a community-based participatory research study in Casamance, Senegal (West Africa)

Introduction: Environmental change is accelerating across West Africa, placing increasing pressure on communities whose livelihoods depend on smallholder and subsistence farming. In Senegal's Casamance region, shifting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, soil salinization, and deforestation are undermining food production and altering culturally significant landscapes, including sacred forests. While ecological changes are well documented, fewer studies examine how local communities interpret these transformations and how these perceptions relate to food security. Methods: This study used a community-based participatory research design to examine how farmers in Basse-Casamance perceive environmental change, how these perceived changes affect food security and livelihoods, and what locally identified strategies emerge in response. Mixed methods were employed, including focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and semi-structured surveys with 234 agricultural households across 13 communities. Results: Qualitative analysis identified six major themes: the destruction of forests; decreasing and irregular rainfall; declining river and marine health; loss and degradation of farmland; the abandonment of land due to conflict; and locally proposed solutions such as reforestation, strengthened environmental governance, and support for sustainable farming practices. Quantitative results showed high levels of food insecurity, with 86% of participating households reporting some level of food access challenges. All participants reported that, based on their experience, the environment in the Casamance is changing, and 100% of participants reported that the changes in the environment are contributing to food insecurity. Discussion/Conclusion: Community observations closely align with regional climate and ecological data, demonstrating that experiential and place-based knowledge provide an essential complement to scientific assessments. Findings highlight the interconnected ecological, social, and spiritual dimensions of environmental change. Participants emphasized that meaningful responses require upstream, system-level interventions, including policy reform, stronger governmental engagement, and support for agroecological and community-governed food systems. Such strategies are essential for strengthening resilience in the face of accelerating climate and environmental pressures. Environmental change in the Casamance is multifaceted, deeply felt, and closely tied to food security, cultural identity, and land stewardship. Community identified solutions included elevating community knowledge, protecting culturally significant landscapes, and prioritizing policy-level action that supports sustainable, women-led, and locally grounded food systems.