Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has expressed his country's desire to leverage Chinese technologies to boost his country's agricultural productivity during an interview released on Friday.
Speaking to China Media Group (CMG) during his visit to China for the 2025 Summer Davos forum, Sonko described Senegal as a nation rich in agricultural potential.
"Senegal is an agricultural country where practically everything can grow. Rice and peanut are main cash crop. We also grow other cereals, such as millet, maize, and sorghum. Vegetable cultivation is also very common, and arboriculture of horticultural products develop rapidly. A lot of fruits are produced in the south of the country and in what is called the area of Niayes, including mangoes, oranges or whatever you want," said Sonko.
Despite this diversity, Sonko acknowledged that Senegal's crop yields remain low.
"I believe that in agricultural cooperation, our primary objective is to increase production, because we have fairly low yields. We've reached cooperation agreements between scientific research institutions of Senegal and China, so that we can leverage China's strength in agriculture and techniques to improve yields," Sonko continued.
Senegal and China have increased their cooperation in agriculture in recent years. China has sent agricultural experts to Senegal, introduced hybrid crop varieties, and supported irrigation projects. These efforts have boosted outputs and increased local farmers' income.
Sonko praised China's role as a a reliable partner, and the cooperation between the two countries is based on respect for each other's values.
Sonko also addressed the broader question of Africa's development path, saying that Africa must chart its own course, rooted in its unique conditions and aspirations.
"In today's shifting global landscape, African nations have developed a much clearer understanding. For too long, biased narratives have tended to show certain models or certain countries as the root of global problems. But I believe that our generation have opened our eyes a long time ago. In our political philosophy, we firmly believe that the most reliable partnership is the one based on mutual respect. They should reflect a spirit of shared concern, mutual support, and collective progress. This is precisely how China has engaged with Africa, and it is why we value this relationship," said Sonko.
Senegal hopes to leverage Chinese technology to boost its crop yield: PM
