Italian-Senegalese relations in the fruit and vegetable sector are getting stronger

The technical and managerial training program promoted by the ICE agency “Lab Innova for Africa – Senegal”, part of the “Lab Innova for Africa” project aimed at providing integrated assistance and coaching to support the development and internationalization of African companies in the agribusiness sector, ended in Dakar on June 27, 2024. The training course was inaugurated by Ousmane Mbaye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture; Federico Bernardi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Italy in Dakar; representatives of the initiative’s partner organizations ADEPME, COSEC, CFAHS; and the Director of the ICE Office in Dakar, Alessandro Gerbino.

“Many operators from different companies,” says Enrico Turoni, present at ICE in Dakar, “are GAP certified mango exporters to Europe.”

The training project “Lab Innova for Africa” is being implemented for the second time in Senegal; launched in 2019, it has already achieved positive results in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Angola, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon and the Sahel, involving a total of 340 African companies. The initiative aims to improve the knowledge and skills of African and Italian companies so that they can operate effectively in their economic systems, contributing to the development of business, investment and partnership opportunities between Italy and Africa.

“In Senegal,” says ICE, “the agribusiness sector has enormous potential thanks to its favourable climate, the country’s size and the richness of its soil. The development of the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors is one of the priorities of the recently formed government, which is determined to pursue the country’s food sovereignty and add value to local products, also through increased international cooperation.

The technical and managerial support offered to Senegalese companies by the LabInnova project, combined with the opportunity to meet Italian companies in the sector, responds to the needs expressed by local operators in the most representative crops with high export potential, such as mangoes, cashews and vegetables.

The 35 selected Senegalese companies had the opportunity to develop their international trade skills through a practical approach based on simulations and case studies during the training phase of the Senegalese project, which took place from 24 to 27 June.

In addition, participants had the opportunity to meet representatives of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation AICS, which has a strong position in Senegal in the agricultural sector, and to listen to statements from Italian companies operating in the field of technologies focused on this sector, from mechanization to the cold chain and irrigation.

“At the end of the training, participants were asked to prepare a project paper on an internationalization strategy for the European market. The training program covers the following topics: marketing, technological and digital innovation, export techniques (logistics, contracting, etc.) and sustainable development, and is supervised by experts from the ICE Department, selected for their experience in the sector/market.”

“Nine Senegalese companies, specially organised for export, have already taken part in the study visit phase in Italy, which will take place from 6 to 10 May 2024,” emphasises Turoni.

The companies took part in the first day of the CIBUS exhibition in Parma and in the Macfrut 2024 exhibition, the reference event for professionals in the fruit and vegetable sector in Italy and abroad. The study visit included B2B meetings with exhibitors, high-level meetings and conferences, and guided tours of the pavilions and demonstration areas of the fair. On May 8, the LAB INNOVA FOR AFRICA event took place on the fairgrounds, focusing on the mango supply chain, with the participation of the Italian side of ICE, Africa Affari/Infoafrica, Confindustria Assafrica e Mediterraneo, AICS, CDP.