São Paulo – A regional program should help improve rice production in Mauritania, an Arab nation in Africa. According to figures disclosed by African news agency Panapress, the program is aimed at improving the quality of rice grown in the country through new rules for the sector, distribution of better seeds to farmers and the making available of water resources.
The program also contemplates other African countries, like Mali, Niger and Senegal, and will have assistance from Spain. It will cost US$ 5.8 billion. Through the project, Spain aims to help the countries of the continent to guarantee their food safety. The information was granted by the secretary general of the ministry of Rural Development of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ahmed Adda.
The Arab country has rice among its main agricultural products, alongside dates, maize, sorghum, cattle and sheep. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Mauritania is US$ 3.4 billion and despite just 12.5% of country revenues coming from agriculture and livestock, it sustains 50% of the labour in the country. A large share of agricultural production goes to subsistence.
Mauritania has great reserves of iron ore, which represent 40% of exports and also has vast fishery exploration. Fish and its products, alongside iron ore, gold, oil and copper are products exported by the country.
*Translated by Mark Ament
