Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched a $20.4 million agro-processing project in his hometown of Bambali, expanding his investments beyond sports into agriculture as the West African nation seeks to increase the value of its farm exports.
The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward laid the foundation stone for SM10 Agro on Sept. 19 alongside Senegalese officials. The project, expected to take about 18 months to complete, will focus on mango production and processing.
The facility is designed to process as much as 8,500 metric tons of mangoes annually into products including dried mango, mango puree and mango butter. Plans also include four processing units, an agricultural training center, a research operation and orchards. The project will also produce guava.
SM10 Agro aims to supply fresh mangoes to markets across Africa, Europe and the Middle East while expanding local processing capacity. Turning fresh fruit into products with longer shelf lives could help reduce post-harvest losses and allow producers to capture more value from their crops.
The investment comes as Senegal seeks to develop its agricultural sector and expand domestic processing of farm produce. Mango processing offers an opportunity to reduce dependence on sales of fresh fruit, which is highly perishable and vulnerable to losses during storage and transportation.
Speaking at the launch, Mané said the investment was intended to create economic opportunities in Bambali, the village in southern Senegal where he grew up.
“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began,” he said. “We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture.”
“I want our wealth to stay with us. The profits should benefit our people,” the two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner said.
The project is expected to generate employment and provide agricultural training, although details of the number of jobs to be created have not been disclosed. Financial projections reportedly indicate that the venture could become profitable in its second year of operation, subject to production volumes, operating costs and market demand.
Mané, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, has invested in several development projects in Bambali, including a hospital, school, mosque, gas station and bakery.
The SM10 Agro project marks an expansion of those investments into commercial agriculture, with plans to connect local production to international markets while creating additional sources of income for the surrounding community.
