AATB launches wheat development initiative in Mauritania to boost food security

The Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Programme has launched a strategic initiative in Mauritania aimed at strengthening national wheat production, reducing reliance on imports, and improving food security, a statement from the organisation said on Thursday.

The project, 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), focuses on developing a national program for wheat seed multiplication and enhancing productivity across the value chain.

Signed through a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2023, the initiative is being executed in collaboration with Mauritania’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. It leverages ACSAD’s technical expertise and AATB’s financial support to promote high-yield, disease-resistant, climate-resilient wheat varieties adapted to local conditions.

Officials say the program will promote certified ACSAD wheat varieties, introduce improved hard and soft wheat strains, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported seeds. It will also enhance harvest and post-harvest management practices, strengthen institutional frameworks for wheat production, and modernize marketing systems.

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 produced over 16 tons of soft and hard wheat, which were subsequently used for seed multiplication in the 2024–2025 season.

The project’s steering committee, which includes ACSAD, ITFC, and Mauritania’s agriculture ministry, has approved expansion plans covering additional provinces and the launch of a national wheat breeding program. This next phase will focus on developing high-yield, drought- and heat-tolerant wheat varieties while building local technical capacity.

According to the AATB, the initiative is designed not only to address Mauritania’s immediate food security needs but also to establish a replicable model for other Arab and African countries facing similar agricultural challenges.

“This project demonstrates AATB’s mission to deliver transformative, cross-border projects that promote long-term resilience, integration, and sustainable development,” the Program noted in a statement.