Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a CFA11.7 billion ($20.4 million) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, with the aim of expanding mango processing and creating jobs.
According to Ecofin Agency, the project, known as SM10 Agro, was la
unched on September 19 in Bambali, in the Sédhiou Region.
The facility will feature a processing plant capable of handling 8,500 tonnes of mangoes annually. It will produce mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.
The project will also include a 500-hectare plantation dedicated to Kent mangoes.
The project is located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, where a lack of processing facilities has contributed to significant post-harvest losses.
Senegal is estimated to lose between 30 and 45 per cent of its harvested fruit each year. Poor farming practices, difficulties with harvesting and transportation, as well as limited processing facilities, are among the factors responsible for the losses, Ecofin Agency reported.
Speaking at the launch, Mané said he wanted to build a legacy that would go beyond his achievements in 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 increase local mango processing, including fruit that may not meet the phytosanitary requirements needed for export to European Union markets.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that most of the existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated in the Ziguinchor region. Sédhiou and Kolda, despite producing local mango varieties, remained poorly equipped.
The study also highlighted limited access to packaging and labelling services as another challenge for processors in Casamance. As a result, some businesses have had to rely on Dakar for these services.
Mané’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry continues to recover from recent challenges linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary issues.
Senegal exported around 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes later fell after problems affected access to the European market.
Exports to Europe reportedly increased to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, compared with about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.
