Some thirty
farmers from the agricultural business centre of Koinadugu, northern
Sierra Leone, have signed contracts with the Bennimix factory in the
southern district of Bo ahead of next year’s harvest. They
represent 2,000 others in the district.
In a press release
yesterday the manufacturing firm said “events such as a tour of the
factory and the establishment of contracts provide structure to value
chain participation for smallholder farmers as well as strengthen
their market awareness, business intelligence and develop their
negotiation skills with commercial buyers.”
The group, which
form part of the government’s Smallholder Commercialisation
Programme (SCP) to reduce rural poverty, household food insecurity
and to strengthen the national economy, also used the opportunity “to
learn about the production of the nation’s favourite baby food.”
It further stated
that: “The BENNiMiX Food Company is Sierra Leone’s most
established food manufacturer. Through today’s signing of long-term
contracts at a fair price, Bennimix works to support local farmers
and boost agricultural production throughout the country.”
These nutrients,
according to the company, were crucial for infants and young
children, particularly in the developing world as a well-nourished
infant can recover faster from common illnesses such as malaria,
diarrhoea and respiratory infections.
The event was
coordinated by ACDI/VOCA, the lead partner for USAID’s Promoting
Agriculture, Governance and Environment programme which aims to
support the SCP; provide technical assistance in partnership with FAO
and encourage new market links between farmers and buyers.
The implementation
of the ABC initiative in the country was made possible through a
partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with funding from the
European Union’s Food Facility and the Italian and Irish
governments.
Currently the
multi-donor financing facility Global Agriculture and Food Security
Programme (GAFSP), supervised by the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), is the largest contributor towards
the SCP and the ABC initiative in the country, according to Bennimix
factory.
