Azernews.Az

By News Centre

The company aims to begin silage corn production on an initial area of 7,000 decares, with the goal of contributing to the development of livestock activities in the region and increasing milk production.

Within the scope of the project, production areas are planned to be gradually expanded, with the cultivated land expected to reach 20,000 decares in the medium term. Starting with corn production, activities are also planned to diversify in the future with the cultivation of sunflowers and various forage crops. In this way, the aim is both to increase plant-based production and to meet livestock feed needs through local resources.

The project also includes mechanization support for farmers. Through the “Alo Tractor” service to be implemented within this framework, producers with limited access to tractors and agricultural equipment will be supported through a rental-based model. In addition, a planned assembly factory will ensure that agricultural machinery reaches the region faster and at a lower cost.

With this model, farmers will be able to prepare their land more efficiently and carry out planting and plowing operations using modern equipment. This is expected to increase production efficiency and ensure that agricultural activities become more sustainable.

To support the sustainability of agricultural production, cold storage facilities will also be established within the project. While aiming to reduce post-harvest losses in vegetable, fruit, and fish production, these facilities will allow products to be stored under proper conditions for longer periods and brought to market more efficiently. This is expected to both protect producer income and strengthen the food supply chain, while also improving public access to higher-quality products.

Commenting on the investment process, which came at the invitation of Senegalese authorities seeking solutions to structural problems in the agricultural sector, Mezra Ziraat General Manager Eyüp Demir stated that the model successfully implemented in Türkiye will be transferred to Africa.

Referring to the integrated agriculture and livestock model implemented in Erzurum and Erzincan, Demir said:

“By taking a holistic approach to agriculture in Eastern Anatolia, we created a significant momentum in the region. We brought long-unused lands into production, increased our cultivated areas more than fivefold, and established an integrated structure with industry. In this way, we provided farmers with a sustainable income model and stabilized production.”

He noted that the same model is planned to be implemented in Senegal:

“The investment we plan to implement in Senegal will not be limited to cultivation activities. We will establish a development model that integrates agriculture, livestock, mechanization, and industry. Our goal is to increase production capacity while making local farmers an active part of this process.”

Providing details about the investment, Demir stated that an agreement for Mezra Ziraat’s operations in Senegal was recently signed.

“With this investment, we aim to make a significant contribution to Senegalese agriculture and the regional economy. The structure we will establish will increase production, support livestock farming, and offer a sustainable development model for local growth,” he said.