Bambali, Senegal (Running Africa) — Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched an 11.7 billion CFA franc ($20.4 million) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, targeting mango processing, agricultural development and job creation.

The first stone for the SM10 Agro project was laid on Saturday in Bambali, in Senegal’s southern Sédhiou region, marking the start of a planned 500-hectare agricultural and industrial complex.

The project will process locally grown mangoes for Senegalese and international markets.

SM10 Agro Targets 8,500 Tonnes of Mangoes Annually

Once operational, the facility is expected to process about 8,500 tons of mangoes each year through three production units.

The complex will produce mango pulp, dried mango and mango butter and will include a plantation of Kent mango trees.

SM10 Agro is expected to initially create more than 1,000 direct jobs, with employment projected to eventually reach 2,500.

Mané said the investment is designed to keep more of the economic value generated by agriculture within Senegal.

The footballer has highlighted the amount of mango production lost in the Sédhiou region because of limited processing and storage capacity.

Project to Include Agricultural Training Centre

The development will also include an agricultural training center aimed at providing skills and opportunities for young people and women.

Senegal’s investment promotion agency, APIX, is supporting the project.

Authorities said the development will qualify for tax and customs exemptions on certain imported equipment for five years as part of Senegal’s investment framework.

Sadio Mané Expands Investment in Bambali

The SM10 Agro project expands Mané’s long-running investment in his hometown beyond community infrastructure and into commercial agriculture and food processing.

The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward has previously financed projects in Bambali including a school, hospital and other local infrastructure.

His latest investment seeks to combine mango production and processing with employment and skills development in Senegal’s Sédhiou region, where agriculture remains an important part of the local economy.