• Mauritania plans to partner with Egypt to enhance cereal productivity, including rice, wheat, and maize.

• Talks include establishing an Egyptian Agricultural Research Center branch in Nouakchott as a regional hub.

• Mauritania successfully harvested 4–5 tonnes of wheat per hectare in its first pilot project in 2024.

Mauritania aims to strengthen its cereal production by drawing on Egypt’s agricultural expertise as part of efforts to reduce dependence on food imports, particularly wheat.

Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Minister Sidi Ahmed Ould Abah met with his Egyptian counterpart Alaa Farouk in Cairo on October 14 to discuss closer cooperation in cereal cultivation, according to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The talks focused on boosting collaboration between the two countries’ agricultural research centers to improve yields of key crops such as rice, wheat, and maize. Both sides also discussed developing new crop varieties suited to local conditions.

Officials are considering the creation of a branch of Egypt’s Agricultural Research Center in Nouakchott to serve as a regional hub for transferring Egyptian agricultural technologies and expertise.

Mauritania’s move reflects its broader strategy to build a self-sufficient cereal sector and cut reliance on imports. The country remains one of West Africa’s largest wheat importers, but recent years have seen growing efforts to establish a local production chain.

In 2023, the Agriculture Ministry launched a partnership with the Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) program, the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). The initiative aimed to develop local wheat seed production and implement a national program for multiplying certified wheat seeds.

In March 2024, Mauritania reported a successful pilot project cultivating wheat on 200 hectares through a public-private partnership in the Trarza region. The project achieved yields of 4 to 5 tonnes per hectare, signaling promising potential for domestic production.

Egypt serves as a continental benchmark in agricultural productivity, particularly in cereals, despite having only 5% arable land. The country produces around 9.5 million tonnes of wheat annually, making it Africa’s top producer, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It also ranks second in milled rice output with about 4 million tonnes and fifth in maize production with 7 million tonnes, behind South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.

The new partnership marks an important step in Mauritania–Egypt agricultural cooperation. However, analysts say the impact will depend on how quickly both governments can turn their research and policy commitments into tangible outcomes.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum