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The government has announced a significant investment of approximately $108 million aimed at improving soybean production and developing the value chain to mitigate post-harvest losses over the next five years. This move aligns with the resolutions of the recently held Dakar II Summit in Senegal and is expected to result in increased certified seed production of up to 17,500 metric tonnes annually, as well as the development of 50,000 hectares of new land for soybean cultivation.
The investment is projected to raise soybean cultivation from the current 218,000 tonnes per year to 400,000 metric tonnes per year, resulting in a 40 percent increase in yield. Robert Ankobia, Chief Director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, shared that the objective of this investment is to achieve self-sufficiency in soybean production for the domestic market by expanding cultivation and enhancing competitiveness in the value chain.
Of the total investment, $21 million will be allocated to research and development programs aimed at developing early-maturing, high-yielding soybean varieties, as well as high pod clearance varieties for mechanization and maintenance-breeding of existing varieties. Another $63 million will be dedicated to land development programs for soybean production, with a special emphasis on new land for rain-fed soybean market-oriented production. The remaining $24 million will be utilized to enhance investment in harvest and post-harvest programs to improve soybean quality, increase processing capacity, and reduce physical losses. These initiatives will be an integral part of the government’s Agriculture Mechanization Service Centers’ (AMSEC) strategy.
Mr. Ankobia emphasized that this investment in the local soybean value chain is in line with the country’s key compacts identified during the Dakar II Summit, which aim to achieve self-sufficiency and agrifood transformation within the next five years. The compact prioritizes key sub-sectors with the highest impact on food security, taking into consideration other commodities such as rice and poultry. Overall, the focus of the compact is on expanding production and reducing losses in the country’s food value chain.
BY:AGRIWATCH REPORTER
