The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council recently strengthened its engagement in Senegal’s livestock sector through a series of technical training activities aimed at improving productivity and feed efficiency across poultry and dairy operations. The initiative was led by Mohamed Salah Bouthour, the Council’s deputy regional director for Africa, who headed a delegation to oversee on-the-ground programs tailored to local industry needs.
In collaboration with the Poultry Association of Senegal, the Council delivered its third and final in-country poultry training workshop of 2025 at the Reference Center for Poultry Professions in Diamniadio. This event represented the first structured partnership between the Council and the national poultry association and introduced a new approach centered on locally driven, industry-focused capacity building within West Africa.
At the same time, the Council responded to a request from NMA Sanders, one of Senegal’s largest feed manufacturers, by extending its activities into the dairy sector. A three-day ruminant management program was organized with support from specialists at the Council’s Regional Feed Training Center in Tunisia. The program blended farm visits, interactive workshops and staff-focused training sessions covering dairy cow nutrition, operational management and strategies to improve farm-level profitability.
Senegal continues to depend heavily on imported milk products due to limited domestic production capacity, a situation that contributes to elevated prices for consumers. By providing targeted technical support, the Council aims to help expand local production potential while increasing demand for feed ingredients and raw materials.
On the poultry side, the workshops built on the Council’s train-the-trainer framework, which focuses on equipping local professionals with advanced production and nutrition knowledge so they can transfer those skills within their own regions. The most recent sessions emphasized practical learning and broad participation, bringing together poultry farmers, on-farm feed mixers and commercial feed producers.
Local trainers selected experienced participants and identified two key poultry-producing regions to act as pilot areas for future programming. Over the course of three days, approximately 50 attendees enhanced their understanding of poultry management, processing practices, feed formulation and the effective inclusion of U.S. corn co-products in poultry diets. The training not only reinforced technical expertise but also increased familiarity with U.S.-origin feed ingredients.
Through sustained collaboration and hands-on education, the Council continues to build relationships with Senegalese industry stakeholders while highlighting the nutritional and economic value of U.S. corn and corn co-products. By improving formulation practices and on-farm performance, the initiative seeks to establish long-term confidence in U.S. agricultural products within Senegal and the wider region.
