Mauritania wants to grow wheat despite yields of 4 to 5 tonnes per hectare

The first large-scale wheat growing experiment has just been carried out in Mauritania, marking a readjustment in the national agricultural strategy. Last March, in the commune of Rosso, 200 hectares of sandy soil were exploited to cultivate two varieties of wheat, with a yield between 4 and 5 tonnes per hectare, according to the Mauritanian Ministry of Agriculture. This project is the result of a collaboration between the Mauritanian government and two private agricultural companies, signaling a desire to diversify the country's sources of cereals. Until now, Mauritania, largely dependent on wheat imports, sees these promising results as an opportunity to reduce this dependence. Isselmou Ould Sid El Moktar, regional delegate of the Ministry of Agriculture in Trarza, highlights to RFI the efficiency of wheat cultivation compared to that of rice, particularly in terms of water costs and disease management. “Wheat is less restrictive and could well be a more sustainable crop for our ...