Saint-Louis — The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Mabouba Diagne, invited rice producers to meet the challenges of productivity and marketing, noting that despite the progress recorded during the last campaign, Senegal still imports more than a million tonnes of white rice.
“Challenges persist, particularly in terms of productivity and marketing. Despite our progress, Senegal still imports more than a million tonnes of white rice, weighing heavily on our trade balance,” said the minister, noting that “in an uncertain and speculative international market, this dependence is a risk that we can no longer run.”
The minister spoke on Saturday in Saint-Louis where he officially launched the 2026 hot dry season campaign in the Senegal River valley during a workshop organized by the Delta and Falémé Land Development Company (SAED).
He indicated that “it is precisely to reverse this trend and change the paradigm that the government has decided to move from dispersed support to an integrated, structured and sustainable dynamic.”
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Noting that “the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025 – 2034) sets bold milestones, in perfect coherence with the National Transformation Agenda – Senegal 2050”, the minister supported the mission is “clear” for the government.
“It is about intensifying our agricultural value chains, strengthening the resilience of territories and drastically reducing our dependence on imports,” he assured.
The minister added that “in this perspective, rice cultivation occupies a central place and thanks to our natural resources and existing infrastructure, the River Valley has exceptional potential.”
For him, “the historic results of the 2025 campaign, obtained despite the constraints encountered, prove that we are on the right path to move resolutely towards achieving self-sufficiency.”
Ousseynou Ndiaye, president of the Interprofessional Committee for Rice Cultivation (CIRIZ), highlighted the efforts made by the SAED to support producers but pointed out the urgency of finding a remedy to the problems of financing the campaign and marketing.
The work was marked by discussions between the minister and producers in the presence of the Director General of SAED Mr. Alassane Ba.
