Senegal: Project for Strengthening Rice Production in Southeastern Senegal and Casamance (RPRSOC)

Rice is a staple food in Senegal and a long-standing focus of national agricultural policy. However, domestic rice production continues to face challenges in keeping pace with growing demand. In 2019, Senegal produced approximately 770,000 tons of rice, while imports totaled about 890,000 tons. This reliance on imports has raised concerns related to balance of payments stability and food security.

In response to these challenges, the Government of Senegal developed the National Rice Development Strategy, which promotes rice production not only in irrigated areas but also in rainfed regions such as Casamance and Southeastern Senegal.

This project focuses on Casamance and Southeastern Senegal, areas with high agricultural potential where rice productivity can be further improved. The project follows a two-phase approach: a planning phase in 2022, during which baseline assessments and detailed activity planning were conducted, followed by the implementation phase (2023–2026), which is currently underway.

By improving productivity through appropriate dissemination of rice production techniques tailored to diverse local rice-farming systems, the project aims to contribute to increased rice self-sufficiency and strengthened food security in Senegal.

Our company contributes to the project through the participation of an agricultural mechanization expert. In target areas where opportunities exist to further expand mechanization, we support the introduction and use of rice threshing machines to improve post-harvest operations.

Mechanical threshing of rice

Harvested paddy rice

Celebrating the rice harvest

Village scene upon delivery of the threshing machine