REFT Africa
Analysis notes
Signed essays, distinct from our evaluation assignments. They commit their author, not our clients, and address the agricultural and food policy debates under way in Senegal.
July 2026 · Situation note 3 pages
The unsold local rice glut in the Senegal River Valley, and the role of public procurement
In June 2026, some 335,000 tonnes of rice and paddy remained unsold in the Senegal River Valley, including more than 35,000 tonnes of milled white rice — at the very moment the sector was breaking production records. The note establishes the state of stocks, identifies the three causes of the glut, and examines what public procurement could absorb.
July 2026 · Public policy note 6 pages
Eating quality, nutritional value and competitiveness of local rice: moving beyond the seed myth
“Our seeds are no match for Thai rice” — the dominant narrative shifts responsibility onto varietal breeding, whereas the competitiveness gap is decided downstream. The note compares starch profiles, revisits the sensory question, and proposes reopening the file where it is actually settled: milling, grading and presentation.
July 2026 · Analysis note 7 pages
Creating State farms on the national domain: land availability and food sovereignty
Senegal covers 19.7 million hectares, of which 3.8 million are arable — and sows only 2.4 to 2.5 million a year. On paper the reserve exceeds a million hectares, and 95 % of land falls under the national domain. The note tests that argument against the real potential of the North and other regions, and quantifies an impact scenario.
Protected documents
These notes are published in full and freely readable. The files are encrypted: the text cannot be copied, modified or annotated, and printing is limited to low resolution. For any use requiring those rights, write to us.
Want to respond to a note?
These texts are written to be argued with. We welcome your objections.