The government of Senegal is planning to produce more than 350,000 tons of onion by 2016. A workshop to develop a share of the onion sector plan is open on Wednesday in Thies, with the participation of all stakeholders, and in order to allow this sector to achieve self-sufficiency by 2016 by producing 350,000 tons of onion.
Dr. Macoumba Diouf, director of horticulture, who chaired the opening session, said that the aim of the meeting is to help ensure better coaching and capacity building of farmers and producers, as well as a good structure for the onion industry.
According to him, the participants of the workshop will discuss about the implement methods for monitoring and evaluation through discussions and exchanges between all stakeholders to achieve real development of the sector, thanks to the water control and quality onion.
He then stressed the need to develop transport and marketing structures, as well as storage and packaging facilities for the production of onion to create the conditions for processing.
Access to sustainable financing of the onion sector, also is at the heart of the problem which the players are still facing, noted Dr. Macoumba Diouf.
Diamyody Mamadou Ba, president of the National Association of Senegalese onion growers, welcomed the organization of the workshop, which brings together all the producers in the sector, technicians and authorities.
He has ensured that the producers will make every effort to achieve self-sufficiency in quality onions in Senegal, thanks to an accompaniment of the State.
According to a document released to the press on the occasion of the workshop, onion production has increased from 90,000 tons in 2001 to 245,000 tons in 2014.