Senegal strengthens livestock sector with genetic improvement, cattle imports

SENEGAL – To boost its livestock and dairy sectors, Senegal has received a shipment of 1,307 cattle from France, marking another milestone in its long-term efforts to enhance local production and reduce reliance on imports.

The latest import, which arrived at the Port of Dakar on February 24, includes 1,250 pregnant heifers, 27 bulls, and 30 breeding females. This initiative is part of a national program launched in 2017 to strengthen the country’s livestock farming through genetic improvement.

Authorities have prioritised the introduction of high-yield cattle breeds to improve local genetics and sustainability. The goal is to increase domestic dairy production and gradually reduce dependence on imported dairy products.

Livestock farming plays a crucial role in Senegal’s economy, contributing approximately 17% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing around 70% of the workforce. 

About 350,000 families engage in livestock rearing, representing nearly 30% of the country’s farming population.

Despite ongoing efforts, Senegal’s dairy imports grew by 8% in 2024, reaching 33,745 tonnes, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD). 

The financial burden of these imports has also surged, with costs increasing by 20% to US$109 million (65.7 billion FCFA). This underscores the urgency of the government’s push for self-sufficiency in livestock products.

Partnerships for genetic improvement

To further improve livestock genetics, the Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock has signed agreements with the Group for the Genetic Improvement of Pastoral and Extensive Livestock Farming in Senegal (GEPES) and Oumou For Land. 

The latter has pledged an investment of over US$4.8 million to support the initiative in Keur Momar Sarr.

Since 2017, Senegal has collaborated with the National Association for the Intensification of Dairy Production (ANIPL) to subsidise the import of high-yield cattle breeds. 

In 2024 alone, the government covered half the cost of importing 2,500 heifers, including the Normande, Montbéliarde, Brune des Alpes, Holstein, and Jersey breeds, to enhance milk production.

In addition to these imports, Senegal reached an agreement with GEPES in November 2024 to import 1,000 Guzerá cattle from Brazil to boost meat production. 

These efforts are supported by the National Integrated Livestock Development Program (PNDIES), launched in May 2024, with a budget of US$82.2 million, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

These efforts will meet the beef supply in the country, where it is the second most consumed source of animal protein after chicken.

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