Senegal

Last updated: April 2019
  • Region Western and Central Africa
  • UPOV membership status UPOV member through the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI)
  • Participation in OECD Seed Schemes Yes
  • ISTA accredited member laboratories Yes
  • GM crop approval for cultivation No
  • Law on Plant Variety Protection Annex X of the 1999 agreement revising the Bangui Agreement on the creation of the OAPI
Seed sector in Senegal

Plant research and varietal improvement is largely carried out by Senegal’s research institution, the Institute Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, which produces breeder and foundation seeds for all main field crops. The Division des Producteurs de Semences is responsible for seed quality control. Senegal has a legal and regulatory framework, governed by law, that relates to variety registration, production and certification of seeds and plants. The country established the National Advisory Committee for Seeds and Plants, which oversees regulation of the production, certification and trade of seeds and plants, and it has also implemented related decrees for establishing a directory of species and plant varieties cultivated in Senegal. The national framework has been reinforced by the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States’ harmonized seeds framework.

In Senegal, farmer cooperatives are grouped under two major umbrella organizations: the Association Sénégalaise pour la Promotion du Développement à la Base (ASPRODEB) and the Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et Pastorales du Sénégal. The ASPRODEB is the largest network and has set up 34 cooperatives producing certified seeds across the country. These cooperatives were regrouped in December 2009 to create the National Network of Seed Producers’ Cooperatives.

Observations

There are 21 index companies in Senegal, but SEDAB and Tropicasem are the only ones headquartered in the country. Only three companies provide extension services.

Tropicasem and Technisem have partnered in breeding in Senegal and are the only index companies with such activities in the country. They are also two of only four index companies that produce seeds in Senegal, and both companies involve smallholders in their production activities.

SEDAB is the only company with a processing facility in Senegal, while five companies have testing locations.

Senegal has a strong infrastructure of seed-producing cooperatives as well as national seed companies (not included in the index) that test and select seed from research institutes and produce and sell seeds in the country.

Index company activities identified in Senegal
Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Companies selected for
the Access to Seeds Index
Field
crops
Vegetables Breeding
location
Testing
location
Seed
production
Processing
location
Sales Extension
services
Bayer
Bejo
Corteva Agriscience
East-West Seed
Faso Kaba
Known-You Seed
Limagrain
NAFASO
Nongwoo Bio
Pop Vriend Seeds
Rijk Zwaan
Sakata
Seed Co
SEDAB  **
Soprosa
Syngenta  ***
Technisem  *
Tropicasem  **  *
  • * Company involves smallholder farmers in seed production activities
  • ** Company headquartered in Senegal
  • *** Based on company data, sales activities include seeds and/or crop protection products.

Other index companies are also active in the country. However, country-specific information for these companies is not available or was provided under a non-disclosure agreement.

Other companies identified in the regional landscaping study and their activities.

Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Field
crops
Vegetable
crops
Breeding
location
Seed
production
Sales
Cadre de Concentration des Producteurs d’Arachide (CCPA)
GIE Khaly Amar Fall
Coumba Nord Thiam (CNT)
Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et Pastorales (RESOPP)
Réseau National des Coopératives de Producteurs de Semences (RNCPS)
Société de Commercialisation et de Distribution de Produits Agricoles (SOCODISPA)
Etablissement Tambedou et Fils (ETB TAMBEDOU et Fils)
Niayes Sarraut (NS)

Leading seed producing cooperatives highlighted in cooperative study

Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Field
crops
Vegetable
crops
Testing
location
Seed
production
Sales
Coopérative agricole de Kelle Guèye (COOPAKEL)
Coopérative agricole de Diendé (COOPAD)
Coopérative de Kahi
Coopérative de Paoskoto