Senegal achieves 9.5% surge in cereal harvest for 2023/2024

SENEGAL – Senegal has reported a significant increase in cereal production for the 2023/2024 agricultural season, with output exceeding 4 million tonnes, a 9.5% rise from the previous year’s 3.6 million tonnes.

According to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), this growth is attributed to expanded cultivation areas and favorable weather conditions.

Rice continues to dominate Senegal’s cereal production, accounting for nearly 38% of the total with over 1.5 million tonnes. Millet follows at 31.4%, corn at 21.2%, sorghum at 9%, and fonio, despite its smaller share, recorded a remarkable 41% increase to 9,382 tonnes.

The expansion in production is largely due to a 3.7% increase in cultivated land, reaching nearly 2 million hectares, an addition of 70,226 hectares compared to the previous year. This development has positively impacted consumer prices, with a 2.2% decrease in the cereal consumer price index in Dakar over the first ten months of 2024.

However, challenges persist. In October 2024, unprecedented floods in eastern Senegal, particularly in the Podor region—a key agricultural hub—devastated over 16,000 hectares of farmland. Crops such as onions, rice, millet, and corn suffered significant losses, threatening food security for approximately 250,000 people dependent on agriculture in the area.

Despite these setbacks, the overall national production remains robust. The government aims to sustain this growth trajectory to enhance food security and reduce dependence on cereal imports.

Projections for the 2024/2025 marketing year indicate a 3.2% increase in regional milled rice production, supported by government initiatives to improve access to agricultural inputs and favorable rainfall patterns.

In 2024, the Senegalese government set aside 120 billion FCFA (around US$197 million) to subsidize inputs during the 2024/2025 agricultural season, as the authorities commit to strengthening support for the productive system.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made the announcement, saying the decision was reached during an interministerial council he chaired on May 3. 

According to him, the envelope is an increase of 20% compared to the budget of 100 billion FCFA (around US$164 million) allocated to the subsidy program during the previous campaign.

The subsidy injection followed the country’s plans to reduce its wheat imports by at least 40% by 2028, an initiative that the executives hope will reduce the bill dedicated to future cereal purchases.

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