The Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA) has announced that they have developed four new varieties of wheat, bringing Senegal’s dream of producing wheat to fruition. Despite wheat being the second most consumed cereal in Senegal, the country currently imports 800,000 tonnes of cereals a year. The tropical climate of Senegal is not ideal for wheat production, but acclimatization trials are currently underway. The research involved testing hundreds of varieties of wheat, resulting in three varieties coming from Egypt and a fourth variety developed by the Institute. However, the lack of water to irrigate the crops remains a major challenge. Amadou Gaye, the president of the National Federation of Bakers of Senegal, prefers the production of local cereals like millet, maize, or sorghum.
Second most consumed cereal after rice, wheat is an important element of the diet in Senegal, fond of bread. But like many of its neighbours, it depends entirely on foreign countries: it imports 800,000 tonnes of cereals a year.
Its tropical climate is in principle not suitable for growing wheat, but acclimatization trials are underway.
Experimental culture
The cereals were grown on an experimental plot in Sangalkam, located 35 km from Dakar. To achieve this, the researchers tested hundreds of varieties of wheat, explained Amadou Tidiane Sall, a member of the Institute.
Three of the selected varieties come from Egypt. These Egyptian seeds had been recovered by Senegal during a visit to this North African country on the occasion of the United Nations climate conference (COP27) in November. A fourth variety has been developed by the Institute.
The Senegalese Minister of Agriculture, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye, also visited the plot cultivated by the Institute at the beginning of April. “We have great potential“, said the minister during his visit. He however recognized that the lack of water to irrigate the crops was a major challenge.
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— Aly Ngouille Ndiaye (@Aly_Ngouille) April 3, 2023
Amadou Gaye, the president of the National Federation of Bakers of Senegal, which represents some 2,500 bakeries in the country, said he would prefer that “resources are devoted to the production of local cereals such as millet, maize or sorghum“.
In conclusion, Senegal’s dream of producing its own wheat is now a reality with the development of four new varieties by the Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research. Although the tropical climate of Senegal was not initially suitable for wheat production, the researchers continue to conduct acclimatization trials to make it work. While some are skeptical about the move to wheat production, others believe that it is a significant step towards reducing dependence on foreign imports. The challenges in producing wheat, such as the lack of water for irrigation, need to be addressed. Only time will tell if this initiative will be successful, but it is undoubtedly a promising venture for the West African nation.