Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a CFA11.7bn ($20.4m) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, as he seeks to contribute to job creation and agricultural development beyond his football career.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, was officially launched on September 19 in Bambali in the Sédhiou Region, according to Ecofin Agency.
The facility will feature a mango-processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes. It is expected to produce a range of mango-based products, including pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.
The project will also include a 500-hectare plantation dedicated to Kent mangoes.
Located in Casamance, one of Senegal’s major mango-producing areas, the investment is designed to increase local processing capacity and reduce the amount of fruit lost after harvest.
Senegal is estimated to lose between 30 and 45 per cent of its harvested fruit annually, with poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation difficulties, as well as limited processing facilities contributing to the losses.
Speaking at the launch, Mané said his ambitions for Bambali and Senegal extend beyond his achievements on the football pitch.
“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,” Mané said.
The processing facility is expected to provide an outlet for mangoes that may not meet European Union export requirements because of phytosanitary regulations, allowing more of the locally produced fruit to be processed within Senegal.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that mango-processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated largely around Ziguinchor, while Sédhiou and Kolda remained less equipped despite their agricultural potential.
The study also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services as another challenge facing processors in the region, with some businesses having to rely on Dakar for those services.
Mané’s latest investment comes as Senegal’s mango industry continues its recovery from difficulties caused by fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary challenges that previously affected access to European markets.
Senegal exported around 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes subsequently fell amid the challenges affecting the sector.
Exports to Europe have since shown signs of recovery, reportedly rising to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026 from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures and stronger efforts to control fruit flies.
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