The Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program has launched a strategic initiative in Mauritania to develop national capacity for wheat seed multiplication, enhance agricultural productivity, and fortify the wheat value chain. Implemented in partnership with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), this high-impact project emphasizes The Program’s commitment to advancing food security and sustainable development across Arab and African member countries.
The project was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 and is being executed in partnership and coordination with Mauritania’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. It leverages ACSAD’s technical expertise and The 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 in Mauritania 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. 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 2023–2024 agricultural season, ACSAD supplied improved wheat varieties for cultivation on a 20-hectare site in the Arkez region. The first harvest yielded over 16 tons of soft and hard wheat, which were used for seed multiplication in the second season (2024–2025). The project’s steering committee, comprising representatives from ACSAD, ITFC, and the Ministry, 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 in light of climate change, and to build technical capacity at the national level.
This initiative exemplifies the AATB Program’s mission to support transformative, cross-border projects that foster economic resilience, strengthen regional integration, and promote long-term self-reliance and sustainable development among member countries. 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. 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.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
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About the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program:
The AATB Program is a multi-donor, multi-country, and multi-organization program supported by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Islamic Development Bank, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). The Program aims to promote and increase trade and investment flows between African and Arab OIC Member Countries; provide and support trade finance and export credit insurance, and enhance existing capacity-building tools relating to trade. The Program specifically focuses on supporting the key sectors of agriculture and related industries, including textiles, the health industry, including pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and transport, and petrochemicals, construction materials, and technology.