Senegal has tremendous potential toraise incomes and create jobs in agriculture. This potentialis particularly strong in the horticulture sector whereSenegal enjoys a comparative advantage because of thefollowing factors: favorable climatic and water conditions;capacity to supply European markets at a time when otherscannot; proximity to European markets with availability ofcompetitive air and sea transport; access to quality inputs;and few policy distortions. The fact that exports haveincreased from 2,700 tons in 1991 to 51,270 tons in 2011indicates the quality and demand for Senegalese horticultureproducts. However, only about 5 percent of the fruits andvegetables grown in Senegal are processed. The countryimports many processed products that could be producedcompetitively domestically, and exports raw materials that,if processed, could be sold at much higher margins.Processing could also help reduce post-harvest losses, whichdramatically affect farmers' incomes. The country is,therefore, not realizing the income and job generatingpotential offered by its comparative advantage. Thisdocument proposes a new model for promoting the growth of acompetitive value adding horticulture sector in Senegal. TheAgribusiness Innovation Center (AIC) will provide a set offinancial and nonfinancial services to high-growth potentialentrepreneurs, aiming to accelerate the growth of theirenterprises and demonstrating product, process, and businessmodel innovation across the horticulture sector. AICcomplements existing efforts focused on farm-levelimprovements and foreign investment facilitation.
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