Rice growing: Official launch of the 2026 hot dry season campaign in the Senegal River valley

The 2026 Rice hot dry season campaign was officially launched this Saturday, January 24, 2026 in Saint-Louis, under the presidency of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Mabouba Diagne. This campaign marks the first implementation of the Rice 2026–2030 program contract, signed between the State of Senegal and the Interprofessional Committee of the Rice Sector (Ciriz).

Included in the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025–2034) and the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda, this initiative aims to sustainably strengthen rice self-sufficiency, with the Senegal River valley as a priority strategic area. “This workshop opens in a context bringing hope and profound transformation, driven by the desire of the President of the Republic to translate our ambition of food sovereignty into concrete and tangible results,” declared Minister Mabouba Diagne, calling for a collective mobilization of all stakeholders in the sector. According to data presented by SAED, the current agricultural campaigns are showing encouraging results. For the 2025/2026 winter season, more than 29,500 hectares were sown, including 27,443 hectares of rice, while the cold dry season 2025/2026 totals more than 15,000 hectares, including market gardening and cereal crops. For the SSC 2026 campaign, cultivation work has already started in the Delta, the Middle Valley and around Lake Guiers. Speaking on behalf of the inter-profession, the president of CIRIZ, Ousseynou Ndiaye, welcomed the support measures announced by the State. “Today we are launching the first hot dry season campaign resulting from the program contract that we signed with the government. Significant funding has been mobilized for hydro-agricultural developments, agro-industry and production financing,” he explained. The president of CIRIZ also announced ambitious objectives for the 2026 campaign, with the development of approximately 53,000 hectares and a targeted average yield of 6.7 tonnes per hectare, while emphasizing the importance of financing and marketing local rice. For his part, Minister Mabouba Diagne insisted on the need to take action. “The time is no longer for declarations of principle, but for concerted and methodical action. The State will take its responsibilities, but it expects a firm and measurable commitment from each actor,” he said.