(Ecofin Agency) - Senegal’s government announced last week that it would, in partnership with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), a national green exports assessment programme (ENEV).

This project aims to improve the results of competitive export sectors allowing to generate social and environmental impacts and agricultural added value. 

Among targeted sectors, those of cashew and mango which currently represent 2% of total exports, while generating revenues for more than 100,000 households in the Casamance region in Southern Senegal.

The roadmap, in mid-2018, should be presented to the key actors of the targeted sectors, and will be financed, among others, by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

By focusing on cashew and mangoes, the project will respond to the government’s strategic guidelines in terms of export and environmental protection, said Cheikh Fofana, deputy director at the ministry of environment and sustainable development.

Let’s recall that Senegal exports only 12%-15% of its mango output which is estimated at about 100,000 tons per year. Also, it processes only a small portion (1%-2%) of this output, thus missing on the gains that could be generated by the added value derived from packaging, marketing, labelling or certification. 

In regards to cashew, Senegal is a minor supplier of the nuts with a yearly production of 13,000-15,000 tons mainly exported to industrial processing units in India.

Espoir Olodo