By Tapiwa Chawagarira
Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has invested about £15 million (11.7 billion CFA francs) into a major agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, aimed at transforming mango production while creating employment and training opportunities for local communities.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, is centred on a 500-hectare mango plantation that will eventually accommodate about 78,000 mango trees, with the first harvest expected approximately three years after planting.
The development will also feature processing facilities for mango pulp and purée, dried mango and mango butter, allowing more of the crop to be processed locally instead of being sold as raw produce.
The project’s official website lists an initial target processing capacity of 8,500 tonnes per year, while Senegal’s Le Soleil reports projected capacity in the range of 8,500 to 10,500 tonnes annually.
Mané said the project is intended to ensure that more of the wealth generated from the region’s agricultural resources remains in Senegal. He also highlighted the need to create opportunities for young people and women through education and employment.
According to the Senegalese Press Agency (APS), the Sedhiou region currently loses between 30 and 40 percent of its mango harvest because of inadequate storage and processing facilities. SM10 Agro is designed in part to address those losses by establishing an integrated agricultural and processing value chain in Bambali.
The project is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs, with additional employment opportunities anticipated in transportation, supplies and other services linked to the agro-industrial complex.
Beyond farming and processing, SM10 Agro will include an agricultural training centre and research and development facilities, with a particular focus on developing the skills of young people and women in the region.
The foundation stone for the project was laid in Bambali on Saturday, September 19, marking the start of what Mané described as a major step in giving back to the community where his journey began.
Senegalese newspaper Le Soleil reported on Sunday that Mané described the project as more than an agricultural investment, but as a dream and a return to his roots.
SM10 Agro forms part of Mané’s broader record of supporting development initiatives in Bambali. The footballer has previously been associated with projects benefiting the community, including education and health facilities.
For Mané, the latest investment represents a move to convert the success he achieved through football into a long-term economic opportunity for his home region — demonstrating how sporting success can also be channelled into community development.
