The Senegalese government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the IFC, the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, to boost investment in the mango sector in order to increase competitiveness, La Tribune Afrique reported.
The arrangement includes financing for all stages of the mango supply chain, with a particular focus on the Casamance region in the south of the country.
A major challenge will be to drive exports. In Senegal, a mere 15,000 tonnes of mangoes is either processed or exported, out of an estimated annual production of 120,000-150 000 tonnes.
The agreement was signed last week in Dakar, with Senegal represented by the director of the Senegalese Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Projects (APIX), Mountaga Sy.
'There is talk of a major project that will cover the entire national territory, but especially the region of Casamance,' Sy told the Senegalese Press Agency (APS).
The project, funded by USAID, aims to generate CFA Fr10.5bn in investments in the mango sector in order to raise incomes and create jobs.
The first step will be to support the implementation of business intelligence and knowledge management tools for the mango sector. APIX then aims to strengthen links between small mango producers and market operators by creating clusters to develop synergies.
The agency will also provide support to post-harvest and logistical service providers, with a particular focus on promoting private investment in the country’s mango sector.
