Dr. Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, was the guest of the program “Au gré de l’Actualité” on Radio Sénégal Internationale (RSI) this Thursday. The minister took stock of the preparations for the Tabaski festival, in particular on the availability of sheep and the subsidy of livestock feed prices.
According to Dr. Diagne, the current situation regarding the supply of sheep is very satisfactory. “Senegal needs 810,000 sheep for Tabaski. We are at 817,000 sheep, compared to last year, so the objective has already been reached less than six days before the festival,” he declared. The minister reassured the Senegalese of the sufficient supply of sheep to the market, indicating that prices remain affordable and that efforts are being made to maintain a balance allowing all parties to find satisfaction.
Dr. Diagne also addressed the issue of livestock feed subsidies, essential to supporting breeders. “This year, 2,570 tonnes of livestock feed were subsidized by the State, which brought the price of a bag to 5,200 FCFA. Last year, this measure only concerned 7 regions, but this year, it affects all 14 regions of Senegal,” he said.
The minister stressed that this subsidy is one-off but that it will be accompanied by appropriate policies to sustain support for breeders. “We must continue to work for sustainable solutions that will maintain and improve the productivity of the livestock sector in Senegal,” added Dr. Diagne.
These measures are part of a broader vision of food sovereignty and support for the livestock sector. Subsidizing livestock feed and supplying sheep are key steps towards strengthened food sovereignty and a more robust livestock sector.
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