• Senegal to sign Brazil MoU on agricultural cooperation
• Deal targets dairy self-sufficiency, cattle genetic improvement
• Dairy imports rose to 33,745 tons in 2024

Senegal plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with Brazil to strengthen agricultural cooperation, Agriculture Minister Mabouba Diagne said on the sidelines of the second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20) in Cartagena, Colombia, local media reported on Thursday.

Authorities said the partnership aims to accelerate progress toward dairy self-sufficiency in Senegal. Planned measures include strengthening scientific cooperation between the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), as well as launching a program to transfer high-yield Gir cattle embryos.

The agreement also seeks to sustainably develop the sector through public-private partnerships, expand fodder crop production, and improve feed efficiency. It further aims to raise professional standards through training in modern dairy farm management and increased agricultural and pastoral mechanization.

Building on genetic improvement efforts

This closer research cooperation with Brazil is strategic. The South American country is widely recognized for cattle breeds adapted to tropical climates and is a major player in the global dairy market. Data compiled by the FAO shows that Brazil was the world’s fifth-largest dairy producer after India, the United States, Pakistan and China, with average annual production of 36.6 million tons between 2021 and 2023.

As part of its cattle genetic improvement program, Senegal has subsidized imports of high-yield cattle from several countries, including Brazil, since 2017. On Jan. 10, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the arrival of 1,050 Guzera and Girolando cattle from Brazil under a partnership with the Group for Genetic Improvement and Pastoral and Extensive Livestock in Senegal (GEPES).

Despite these efforts, dairy imports continue to rise, underscoring the industry’s difficulty in meeting growing domestic demand. Data from the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD) shows that dairy imports increased from 28,973 tons in 2020 to 33,745 tons in 2024. Over the same period, the import bill rose 34.3% to 65.73 billion CFA francs ($118.2 million).

Stéphanas Assocle