Ziguinchor: The government is accelerating the industrial recovery and development of the cashew sector.

Casamance is entering a new industrial era. In Ziguinchor, the Minister of Industry, surrounded by producers, processors and exporters of the cashew sector, reaffirmed the government's commitment to making the region a true engine of growth.

Thanks to the governor's support, this meeting laid the groundwork for a massive investment program: 90 billion CFA francs for the construction of nine agro-industrial parks, including 51 billion for Oussouye, Ziguinchor, and Bignona, and 40 billion for Kolda and Sédhiou. These agri-food industrial zones, designed to generate more than fifty thousand direct and indirect jobs, embody the national strategy for revitalizing and developing local sectors.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and economic interest groups have been reassured: warehouses have already been reserved for them in the Agropole, ready to house their production lines. The serviced sites also offer national and foreign investors the opportunity to build their own facilities, an approach that combines SME inclusion with attracting significant capital.

The cashew sector, a pillar of the regional economy, was a central focus of the discussions. The minister reiterated the tax of 40 CFA francs per kilogram exported, as well as an additional tax of 20 CFA francs, temporarily maintained to finance producer training and the structuring of the sector. The objective is ambitious: to increase locally processed cashew nuts from 3 percent to 30 percent within the next five years, through subsidies and targeted support for processors.

But the ambition doesn't stop at cashew nuts. The Casamance agro-industrial parks will also need to diversify processing: fish, shrimp, forest products, milk, and meat. The revitalization of Sonacos in Ziguinchor is part of this dynamic, confirming the commitment to building a diverse and sustainable agri-food industry.

These projects complement existing infrastructure investments: modernization of the port of Ziguinchor, opening of the new airport, and rehabilitation of national roads. All of these infrastructures will enhance the region's attractiveness and facilitate exports.

The meeting concluded with a plan for a follow-up in one to two months to assess the progress of the projects. Numerous companies have already expressed interest in the Agropole, demonstrating that Casamance, rich in resources and potential, is poised to become a true hub for wealth and job creation, at the heart of the Diomaye plan for the region.