Senegal experimenting with growing wheat in a tropical climate

Published 2023년 4월 12일

Tridge summary

Senegal's Institute for Agricultural Research is experimenting with wheat cultivation despite the country's hot climate, which is typically unfavorable for the grain. The institute has identified four wheat varieties that can thrive in Senegal's climate, including one developed in-house and three from Egypt. The trial comes as Senegal relies heavily on imported wheat and faces pressure to shift its focus to more climate-suitable crops like sorghum and millet. The trial is part of efforts to achieve partial import substitution, despite the challenge of water scarcity for irrigation.

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Original content

Senegalese scientists are trying to refute the opinion that wheat does not take root in the hot local climate Wheat is the second most consumed food in Senegal after rice. However, the country is completely dependent on foreign supplies, importing about 800,000 metric tons of wheat per year. Since the tropical climate is not favorable for growing wheat and many believe that it is better to focus on increasing the production of sorghum, millet or corn. However, scientists from the Senegal Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA), the state research institute, have been conducting wheat trials for many years anyway, writes the AFP portal. After testing hundreds of varieties, the researchers settled on 4 varieties to plant at a demonstration plot in Sangalkam, 35 kilometers from the capital Dakar. Three varieties are Egyptian, and the fourth was developed by the breeders of the institute. Sowing wheat seeds in early January, the crop ripened in three months, which are the coolest ...

Source: Agroxxi