The healthy tastemaker The applicant, Beheersmaatschappij Van Oers Heerle B.V. (part of Beheermaatschappij Wouda B.V.), is producing green beans for the European market in Senegal during winter time. A large part of the labour force is not employed during the rest of the year. Van Oers Heerle has been looking into the possibilities to grow a summer crop to have year around employment guaranteed. In Senegal onions are grown in winter time. In the autumn onions are imported in very large quantities from Europe. After some trials Van Oers Heerle found out that it is possible to grow onions during the rainy season and compete with the imported onions. These rainy season onions will partly be grown on the green bean fields and partly on new fields in the Rufisque area. Interested neighbouring farmers are also trained in these special growing techniques and will receive inputs against harvested produce. The local partner, management holding company SARL, is interested in selling the onions from Van Oers Senegal and the outgrowers, in the city of Dakar. The onions will be stored in a cold store, and subsequently graded and packed at the same quality level as the imported onions. Being a pilot project, only 50 ha will be planted during the project. Resulting in a maximum of 2,750 tons of onions. The annual imports turn around 150,000 tons.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Van Oers Heerle is registered Sedex and will, apply the necessary measures also for the onion production in Senegal. The onions will be grown according to GlobalGAP certification. Van Oers Heerle set up the "Van Oers Foundation" in which Van Oers Senegal donates a certain amount of money per case of exported green beans . The foundations finances projects in neighbouring villages such as drinking water supply systems.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsAn extensive training programme is planned for, and salaries are in most cases far beyond legal minimum levels, working conditions are good.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe product (onion) is already produced in Senegal, but the production in the rainy season on a commercial scale is new. Also, the use of drip irrigation, GlobalGAP certified techniques, the use of sophisticated computer software to monitor diseases and pests, and modern grading and packaging are relatively new to Senegal.•	Chain effectsThe project will source (agricultural) inputs locally as much as possible, such as fertilisers, working clothes and tools, insurances, banks, transport, mechanic services.The outgrowers in this project (50 farmers with 2 ha per farmer) are not essential for Van Oers as the produce will be locally sold and Van Oers is essentially an export company in Senegal. The interest for Van Oers is to maximise the use of the cold storage as that will be open (against a fee) to the outgrowers. The outgrowers will also benefit from the agronomic know-how, the cold storage and the wholesale skills of the local partner.As local production is replacing imports, there is an added value for the end user as well (price and/or quality).•	Impact on the sectorIf this project proves to be successful, other farmers will probably copy this and start growing rainy season onions as well. As import volumes of onions are still huge, there is enough growth potential. This project could even be an example for growing more vegetable crops in the rainy season, like tomatoes. So far this has not been implemented in Senegal.•	EnvironmentBecause of GlobalGAP certification the use of agrochemicals will be kept at a minimum. Disease resistant varieties diminish the need for pesticides. The project will use drip irrigation, so the efficiency of water use is very high.•	Position of womenA lot of women will be employed, mainly as basic-level employees.•	Impact on food safetyThe project contributes to food self-sufficiency of Senegal. Senegal will become less dependent on the import of onions in the off-season.•	Impact on waterThe project will use drip irrigation, so the efficiency of water use is very high. Growing onions on 50 ha in the rainy season of Senegal to sell at the local urban market of Dakar in competition with imported onions.