Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a CFA 11.7bn ($20.4m) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at expanding mango processing and creating jobs.
Ecofin Agency reports on Monday that the project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, Sédhiou Region.
The complex will include a processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes of mangoes, producing mango pulp, dried fruit, and mango butter.
It will also include a 500-hectare plantation of Kent mangoes.
The project is located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, where limited processing facilities have contributed to significant post-harvest losses.
Senegal loses an estimated 30 to 45 per cent of harvested fruit annually, with poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation challenges, and limited processing outlets among the factors contributing to the losses, Ecofin Agency reported.
Speaking at the launch, Mané said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond football.
“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights, and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began… We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture,” Mane was quoted as saying.
The facility is expected to allow more mangoes to be processed locally, including fruit that may not qualify for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary requirements.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region, while Sédhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped despite producing local mango varieties.
The study also identified limited access to packaging and labeling services in Casamance as a challenge for processors, forcing some businesses to depend on Dakar for the services.
Mané’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from recent difficulties linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.
Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes subsequently declined following problems that affected access to the European market.
Exports to Europe reportedly rose to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, up from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phyto-sanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.
