Government will invest an estimated US$108 million to improve soybean production/best practices, as well as developing the grain’s value chain to curb post-harvest losses over the next five years.

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The investment is in line with key resolutions of the recently held Dakar II Summit in Senegal and is expected to expand certified seed production to 17,500 metric tonnes yearly – and also develop 50,000 hectares of new land for soybean production.

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It is anticipated that soybean cultivation will increase from the current 218,000 tonnes per year to 400,000 metric tonnes annually, and contribute to a yield upsurge of 40 percent after the investment.

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Chief Director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Robert Ankobia – who revealed this to the B&FT, said the move is to achieve self-sufficiency in soybean production for the domestic market by expanding cultivation and increasing competitiveness in the value chain.

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MoFA says US$21million of the amount will be expended on research and development programmes to develop early-maturing, high-yielding soybean varieties; high pod clearance varieties for mechanisation; and maintenance-breeding of existing varieties.

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US$63million will go into land development programmes for soybean production, with a special focus on new land for rain-fed soybean market-oriented production.

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The remaining US$24 million will augment investment in harvest and post-harvest programmes to increase soybean quality, increase processing and reduce physical losses. This will be a key part of government’s Agriculture Mechanisation Service Centres’ (AMSEC) strategy.

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“The above plan to invest in the local soybean value chain is part of pathways and one of the country’s key compacts during the Dakar II Summit to attain self-sufficiency and agrifood transformation over the next five years,” Mr. Ankobia said.

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Important features of the compact include the prioritisation of key sub-sectors with the highest impact on food security, with key consideration for other commodities such as rice and poultry.

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Overall, the compact focuses on production expansion and loss reduction in the country’s food value chain.

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