• Senegal obtains a $307 million investment for cold storage infrastructure.
• The project is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Agricool.
• It aims to reduce post-harvest losses and create 300 jobs.

Senegal advances its horticultural storage system. On September 17, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding with Agricool for cold room construction in the Niayes region, the nation’s primary horticultural production area.

The Ministry announced on its website that this initiative forms part of a CFA170 billion ($307 million) Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The project requires no direct state financing.

The Ministry's statement also highlighted, "The project plans to create 300 jobs in the localities hosting these storage facilities. Operating on solar energy, they will produce over 50 megawatts, with surplus exploitable by Senelec [Senegal’s national electricity company]."

While details on the exact number and capacity of the cold storage units remain undisclosed, the initiative underscores a commitment to strengthening the food cold chain. This aims to mitigate post-harvest losses, which annually cause an estimated deficit of nearly CFA50 billion ($90 million) in horticulture.

This strategic investment gains importance as the Senegalese horticultural industry expands. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce projects this year’s onion production to reach 450,000 tonnes, a 5% increase from the 2018-2023 average of 429,000 tonnes. Potato production expects to hit 240,000 tonnes, marking a 64% rise from the 146,000-tonne average over the same period.

In August, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce previously announced the government's plan to establish a storage system with a capacity of 200,000 to 300,000 tonnes for the horticultural sectors by 2027.

This article was initially published in French by Stephanas ASSOCLE

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum