The 5th edition of the Month of Local Consumption, organised this year around the theme "Consuming local, a factor in the development of competitive regional value chains in the WAEMU", served as a platform for a major project led by the Société d'Exploitation du Marché d'Intérêt National et de la Gare des Gros Porteurs (SEMIG SA): the creation of an Agro-Food Processing Hub at the MIN of Diamniadio.

The event, opened by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr. Serigne Guèye Diop, brought together institutions, economic stakeholders, and international organizations to discuss ways to promote "Made in Senegal" products. SEMIG, represented by its Managing Director, Mamadou Coulibaly, presented an initiative that could well reshape the national agri-food ecosystem.

An industrial incubator at the heart of the MIN

The project consists of setting up, within the MIN of Diamniadio, a set of workshops equipped to accommodate SMEs, SMIs and cooperatives involved in agri-food processing.

Conceived as a true incubator for these structures, the Hub will offer pre-equipped processing stores, suitable packaging and storage spaces, as well as direct access to the MIN laboratory for quality control, certification and standardization of products.

The ambition is clear: to reduce technical and financial barriers to industrialization, to support the emergence of competitive units and to promote the structuring of a resilient local industrial fabric.

Through this initiative, SEMIG aims to strengthen local value creation, stimulate the integration of national and regional value chains, reduce post-harvest losses, and accelerate progress towards sustainable food sovereignty. The Hub will also contribute to economic inclusion by facilitating access for young entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and women processors to modern infrastructure and high-level technical support.

The objective is clear: to enable young companies to produce without bearing heavy initial investments, while benefiting from direct access to raw materials and comprehensive technical support.

The quality control and certification system supported by the MIN laboratory will guarantee the standardization of products intended for the national and regional markets.

A project in line with the Senegal 2050 Agenda

This initiative aligns with the Senegal 2050 Agenda, which places industrial transformation, the development of local resources, and the modernization of agricultural value chains at the heart of the national strategy. Several pillars of the reference document are directly involved, notably pillar 1 on localized industrialization, the competitiveness of agri-food sectors, and food sovereignty.

The Director General of SEMIG, Mamadou Coulibaly, says he is resolutely committed to this vision:

"Our ambition is to make the Diamniadio wholesale market a major agro-industrial hub, capable of stimulating local production, reducing post-harvest losses, and supporting the emergence of a competitive industrial sector."

Encouraging signals from the government

The project particularly caught the attention of the State Secretariat for SMEs. Its head, Mr. Ibrahima Thiam, visiting the SEMIG stand, praised the initiative as having "a significant impact on local entrepreneurship." This expression of interest aligns with the momentum generated at the highest levels of government.

The President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has made food sovereignty and the industrialization of local sectors a priority. His Prime Minister, Mr. Ousmane Sonko, has a comprehensive vision for development based on the national processing of raw materials. As for the Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr. Serigne Guèye Diop, he is leading reforms aimed at strengthening the country's productive capacity, with the support of his operational arm, the State Secretariat for SMEs/SMIs.

With this Agri-Food Processing Hub, SEMIG aims to provide Senegal with a strategic infrastructure capable of concretely supporting the "Buy Local" policy. The challenge goes beyond simple commercial development: it is about creating an ecosystem where innovation, quality, productivity and food sovereignty converge.

While awaiting its commissioning, the project is already attracting interest from institutional and private stakeholders. At the heart of the trade fair, it stood out as a strong signal of a national commitment to moving towards a more productive, resilient economy resolutely focused on local transformation.