Project gives wheat production boost in Mauritania

A strategic initiative in Mauritania to develop wheat seed multiplication, enhance agricultural productivity and fortify the wheat value chain has been launched by the Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program in partnership with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corp. (ITFC).

The project emphasizes AATB’s commitment to advancing food security and sustainable development across Arab and African member countries, AATB said in the Sept. 25 announcement. The project was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed in November 2023 and is being executed in partnership and coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of Mauritania, a West African nation of 5.3 million people.

The project leverages ACSAD’s technical expertise and the AATB program’s financial support to reduce Mauritania’s dependence on wheat imports by increasing the availability of high-yield, locally produced wheat seeds. The project aims to establish a comprehensive national wheat seed multiplication program to enhance local production of certified ACSAD wheat varieties, promote the adoption of improved hard and soft wheat strains, and reduce reliance on imported seeds.

By producing high-efficiency, disease-free seeds locally, the initiative seeks to mitigate agricultural risks while encouraging the development of high-yield, climate-resilient wheat varieties suited to local conditions by implementing a national wheat breeding program to be launched this season.

“Additionally, the project supports improving agricultural practices along the wheat value chain, as well as harvest and post-harvest management, to reduce losses and enhance productivity,” AATB said. “It also aims to supply quality seeds for broader agricultural use, reduce genetic contamination in cultivation, and modernize institutional frameworks governing wheat production and marketing, ultimately strengthening Mauritania’s food security and agricultural value chain.”

During the 2023–24 agricultural season, ACSAD said it supplied improved wheat varieties for cultivation on a 20-hectare site in the Arkez region. The first harvest yielded over 16 tonnes of soft and hard wheat, which were used for seed multiplication in the second season (2024–25).

The project’s steering committee, composed of representatives from ACSAD, ITFC and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, held its first meeting in September 2024 and second meeting in May 2025 to review progress and approve the next phase. This includes plans to expand cultivation to additional provinces, launch a national wheat-breeding program to develop new high-yield varieties tolerant to abiotic stresses (drought and high temperatures) and adapted to local environments amid climate change, and to build technical capacity at the national level.

“By facilitating regional technical cooperation and advancing sustainable agricultural practices, the program is not only addressing immediate development needs but also laying a solid foundation for long-term food security in Mauritania,” AATB said. “Moreover, it sets a replicable model for other countries facing similar challenges, reinforcing the program’s role as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable growth across the Arab and African regions.”

Tags: cultivation, seed, Mauritania, Production, wheat, imports, food security