• Turkey’s TIGEM will develop a 500-hectare maize farm in Senegal under a public-private partnership.
• The project will produce high-yield certified seeds and train farmers in modern techniques.
• It aims to raise yields to 5 tons/ha and reduce Senegal’s growing maize import dependence.

In Senegal, Turkey’s General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TIGEM) plans to set up a 500-hectare farm to support the maize sector. Announced on Friday, August 8, in a statement from Agriculture Minister Mabouba Diagne, the initiative is part of a public-private partnership to establish a center of excellence for modern farming practices and local production of high-yield certified seeds.

La République du Sénégal engage, en partenariat avec la République de Turquie, la mise en œuvre d’un projet pilote d’aménagement agricole de 500 hectares, doté des dernières générations de machines et d’infrastructures d’irrigation. Alimentée par l’énergie solaire, cette ferme… pic.twitter.com/v3llKaXk1H

— Dr Mabouba Diagne (@Mabouba_Diagne_) August 8, 2025

The 12-month project marks a new stage in agricultural cooperation between Senegal and Turkey. According to Minister Diagne, the farm will be equipped with the latest machinery and irrigation systems, serving as a model for national maize production.

“This project, which will also serve as a training farm, will teach farmers and technicians innovative and sustainable farming methods,” the statement said.

The partnership aims to increase both productivity and local output in a sector struggling to meet rising demand. Data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD) shows Senegal’s maize imports rose by 19% in 2024 to 512,740 tons, up nearly 59% from 2020 levels of 323,439 tons.

The project will also support the government’s target yield of 5 tons per hectare for maize. In 2023/2024, maize cultivation covered 172,200 hectares nationwide, with an average yield of 3.29 tons per hectare, according to ANSD.