Senegal is a signatory member of the CICC Constitutive Convention on November 16, 2016 in Abidjan, through Mr. Mamadou DIOP, Secretary General of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Mines of Senegal.

Currently, Mr. Aly Ngouille Ndiaye, Minister of Agriculture, sits on the Council of Ministers on behalf of Senegal, in accordance with the Convention establishing the Institution,

of Rural Equipment and Food Sovereignty and Mr. Moustapha Diop, Minister of Industrial Development and Small and Medium Industries.

Economic, social and environmental profile

Senegal is a country in West Africa, with an area of ​​196,710 km² for a percentage of agricultural land of 46.1%. The population is estimated in 2021 at 17,196,308 inhabitants for a population growth of 2.7%. The overall and per capita GDP are respectively $27.04 billion and $1,606.5 in 2021, according to the World Bank. Senegal has two seasons. The dry season lasts from November to June. The daily temperature during this period fluctuates between 22 and 30 ° C, with significant variations between the coast and the interior. The rainy season, or winter, runs from July to November with the hottest months having temperatures between 27 and 38 degrees Celsius.

Cashew sector in brief

Cashew is produced in four (04) regions, including three (03) in Casamance in Senegal, namely Kolda, Ziguinchor, Sédhiou (45% of production) and the Fatick region. The agricultural sector occupies an important place in the Senegalese economy, representing 17% of GDP in 2020 according to the World Bank. It contributes to improving the living conditions of local populations. It is the subject of attention from the Government and stakeholders, which has resulted in a significant increase in cultivated areas and production over the last three decades with very positive growth prospects. The areas covered by cashew plantations in Senegal are estimated at more than 300,000 hectares in 2023 with an estimated number of producers at 135,000, including 2% women. Between 2009 and 2023, production increased from 25,000 tonnes to 85,000 tonnes. Although the nuts produced in the country are of very good quality (KOR 50), average yields remain low, between 300 and 350 kg per hectare. Processing units of varying sizes installed for a cumulative capacity in 2022 of 3,400 tonnes/year of raw nuts with a utilization rate of 30%. Exports increased from 56,000 tonnes in 2017 to 97,962 tonnes in 2023, corresponding to an overall financial value of nearly 66,708,913,925 FCFA.

Sector organization

In Senegal, the governance of the cashew sector is the responsibility of the Interprofession. Aspects related to management and regulation are mainly carried out by the Ministry in charge of Agriculture for production aspects, on the one hand, and by the Ministries in charge of Industry and Trade, for processing and marketing issues, on the other hand. In the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), which is the benchmark for economic and social development policy, cashew is selected as a priority sector in the context of the promotion of agro-industrial processing zones (Agropole Sud project). The aim of this project is to increase production by 40% and the processing rate by 5 to 30%. The main players in the sector are grouped around the Senegal Cashew Interprofession (ICAS), set up on August 28, 2021 under the chairmanship of the then Minister in charge of agriculture, Professor Moussa Baldé. It is made up of associations of producers, processors and traders including FADECBA, Baluh-na, AJAC lukal, CPA coumbacara, FPPA (Fatick-Kaolack), FAMVI, Ethicajou, Deli cajou, CAC anacarde, Regional Federation of GIE of women processors of Cashew of Sine Saloum, GIE Fass diom of Thiénaba.

Cashew Promotion Incentives

In Senegal, the Government’s measures to promote cashew concern:

• Infrastructure, including dredging of the port for the export of cashew by sea via Ziguinchor (Casamance) with the Senegalese Shippers’ Council (COSEC);
• Ministerial regulatory acts of incentive to facilitate cashew trade;
• The establishment of Agro-industrial Processing Zones (PZTA or Agropole Sud) which targets the cashew and mango sectors in Casamance for an amount of 57.56 billion FCFA of public investments and 103 billion FCFA of private investments expected.
• Financing of the cashew value chain by DER/FJ (19.36 billion FCFA in 2021);
• The establishment, through law 2017-29 of July 14, 2017, of the Warehouse Receipt System for goods in Senegal (SRE), the objectives of which are, among other things, to combat post-harvest losses with tests on the marketing of cashew nuts in the regions of Kolda, Ziguinchor and Sédhiou;
• The adoption by the Council of Ministers on November 9, 2022 of the decree establishing and establishing the rules of organization and operation of the National Cashew Consultative Council;
• The Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), a national policy framework, has chosen cashew as a priority sector through the promotion of agro-industrial processing zones (Agropole Sud) for an increase in production of 40% and the processing rate of 5 to 30%;
• The Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Orientation Law (LOASP, 2004) and Decree 2008-1260: implementation of ICAS during the AGC of August 28, 2021;
• Infrastructure, Logistics and Transport: Dredging of the port and Export of Cashew by sea via Ziguinchor (Casamance) with COSEC;
• Regulation: Regulatory (ministerial) acts of incentives to facilitate cashew trade.

Cashew Promotion Projects and Programs

Several structures, projects and programs support the sector:

ANPDI, AVSF, FNDASP, AGROPOLE-SUD, PACAS, DER/FJ, LBA, BNDE, CMS, ORABANK, ECOBANK, AVANS, SHELTER FOR LIFE, DEFCCS, GREEN SENEGAL, AFAO, ISRA, ITA, ANCAR, USAID, etc.

Institutions and persons representing the CICC

Senegal is represented at the CICC by:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Equipment with Mr. Jean Charles FAYE, Executive Director of the National Fund for Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Development (FNDASP), email: faye@fndasp.sn . Telephone: +221 77 740 83 13
• The Ministry of Industrial Development and Small and Medium Industries with MM Amadou Sarr DIOP, Director of Small and Medium Industries, , email: sarrdiop@hotmail.com

  Phone +221 775788303.

Geographical location of cashew production