(Ecofin Agency) - Senegal secured CFA79 billion ($129 million) to implement programmes to boost mechanization and acquire more agricultural equipment.

The announcement was made by Lamine Lô, head of the cabinet of Senegal’s minister of agriculture and rural equipment which shed some lights on the various sources of financing for the programmes. The Brazilian programme “Maïs Alimentos” will direct FCFA45 billion to these programmes while Belgiuma and India will respectively provide FCFA22 billion and FCFA12 billion.

More than 800 equipped tractors are expected from the Brazilian cooperation programme ‘Maïs Alimentos’ and about 520 equipped tractors through a credit line from Exim Bank of India, in 2017, said the official.

“Besides these, we are also working on a programme to equip family farms worth FCFA5 billion a year, which will serve to acquire small agricultural equipment,” Lô added.

Let’s recall that in 2014, the Export Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) granted Senegal a $62.95 million credit line to import agricultural equipment.

Espoir Olodo