Tag Archives: Mauritania

According to allcountrylist, Mauritania is a country located in the western region of the African continent, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and Sahara Desert to the east. The country has a small, open economy with services and agriculture being the main economic activities. Services account for around 65% of GDP while agriculture contributes around 25%. Agriculture is an important sector in Mauritania with cereals being the most widely grown crop followed by vegetables, peanuts, millet and dates. Livestock is also an important activity with cows being the most widely produced followed by sheep, goats and camels. The majority of agricultural produce is consumed domestically while some products are exported to other countries for sale on international markets. Mining is another major sector in Mauritania with iron ore being the most important mineral extracted followed by gypsum, gold and copper. Manufacturing is a relatively small contributor to GDP with food processing being the most important industry followed by textiles production, construction materials production and chemicals production. Mauritania has a long history of agricultural practices, with the country’s nomadic tribes relying on herding animals for subsistence and trading goods for centuries. The earliest evidence of cultivation in Mauritania can be found in the ancient stone structures that dot the landscape, which were built by the Berber people who first colonized Mauritania as early as 1000 BC. These structures are used to store grain and other crops, indicating evidence of an agricultural economy even then. In the 16th century, when Mauritania was under Portuguese rule, several large-scale farms were established by European settlers. These farms primarily focused on cash crops such as sugar cane and indigo which were exported to Europe to make profits. At this time, traditional farming practices such as pastoralism and fishing also continued among local tribes. By the 19th century, French colonization had taken hold in Mauritania and large-scale commercial agriculture was introduced to the region. This included plantations of cotton, rice and other crops which were grown primarily for export purposes. However, traditional farming methods still remained important in many areas where subsistence agriculture was practiced by smallholders who grew food for their own consumption or to sell at local markets. In recent decades Mauritania has seen significant changes in its agricultural sector due to increased mechanization and advances in technology. This has allowed for larger scale production of cash crops such as millet, sorghum, maize and cotton which are grown primarily for export or domestic consumption. Livestock rearing is still important with camels being a major source of income for some rural households while fishing continues to be a key source of food security in coastal communities. Overall Mauritanian agriculture is still largely dependent on traditional methods but there have been some changes due to increasing mechanization and improved infrastructure which has helped boost yields and incomes from farming activities in recent years. There is also an increasing focus on agroforestry initiatives which combine tree crops with short-term cash crops helping to maintain soil fertility while also generating income for farmers. See smber for Mauritania Agriculture and Fishing.