Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a CFA11.7 billion ($20.4m) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at boosting mango production and creating jobs.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, Sédhiou Region, according to Ecofin Agency. It will feature a processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes of mangoes and produce mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.
The complex will also include a 500-hectare plantation for Kent mangoes.
Located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, the project is expected to address some of the challenges facing the local mango industry, particularly limited processing capacity and post-harvest losses.
Senegal loses an estimated 30 to 45 per cent of harvested fruit annually due to poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation challenges, as well as limited processing facilities, according to Ecofin Agency.
Speaking at the launch, Mané said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond 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,” Mané said.
The facility will also allow more mangoes to be processed locally, including fruit that may not qualify for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary requirements.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region, while Sédhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped despite producing local mango varieties.
The study also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services as a challenge for processors, forcing some businesses to rely on facilities in Dakar.
Mané’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from challenges linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.
Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes later declined after the problems affected access to the European market.
Exports to Europe reportedly rose to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.
