Agricultural tour: Cheikh Oumar Bâ listening to rice stakeholders in Ndiaye

The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Dr Cheikh Oumar Bâ, began his monitoring tour of the 2026 agricultural campaign in the north through the department of Dagana. In Ndiaye, he visited a rice field, the Agricultural Machinery Center and the SFA rice mill, before interacting with producers and stakeholders in the rice sector.

DAGANA- This first stage of the ministerial tour provided an opportunity to take stock of the state of the winter campaign and the difficulties encountered by stakeholders in the Senegal River valley. At the Ndiaye Union rice field, the minister spoke with producers before visiting the Agricultural Machinery Center, where mechanization was one of the main subjects discussed. The day ended at the rice mill of the Senegalese Food Industry Society (SFA), with representatives of the Interprofessional Rice Committee (CIRIZ), the National Rice Agency and producer and processor organizations. The minister identified several challenges, including development, drainage, mechanization and the cost of energy. “We realize that there are a certain number of challenges linked to the development, the need to renew the developments and especially the quality of the drainage,” he declared.

²He also noted that electricity represents around 40% of the production cost, making solarization a possible solution. The discussions mainly focused on the difficulties of marketing local rice. Alioune Diagne, president of the National Association of Rice Producers, indicated that 42,000 tonnes were overdue, including around 12,000 tonnes already removed. “We therefore ask that the State sit down with us to try to find lasting solutions,” he pleaded. The president of CIRIZ, Pape Sandiour Dièye, also requested the acceleration of the removal of stocks in order to facilitate the sale of paddy held by producers.

For his part, Mamadou Moustapha Mbodj, president of the Federation of Small Agricultural Processing Units, requested better support from the State, particularly for access to subsidies and the modernization of equipment. For his part, Hassane Koffi, general director of the SFA, insisted on contractualization with small producers, adapted financing and market regulation. He also called on the Senegalese to favor local rice. At the end of the discussions, Dr Cheikh Oumar Bâ announced the continuation of consultations with CIRIZ and the ANR to examine the problems and identify solutions. “We must be able, even before leaving here, to see what problems can be solved on site,” he said.