Technical assistance to develop the organic and fair trade dried mango sector Cameroon
AGRICULTURE 
FORESTRY 
TRANSVERSAL
Services: Technical and economic advice, Technical assistance
Countries: Cameroon
Dates of intervention: 2014/01 - 2014/12
Amount executed: 69 600 €
Total amount of the service: 69 600 €
Main backer: Investors and Partners - Client
Other backers:
Main beneficiary: Biotropical Agriculture Development Company
Support provider: SalvaTerra
Experts: Olivier BOUYER, Maden LE CROM
Certificate of satisfactory executionAppui à l'appro en mangues bio et équitable de BADC - Phase 1Appui à l'appro en mangues bio et équitable de BADC - Phase 2
Context of the service
Biotropical (BADC) exports dried fruits (mango, papaya, pineapple, banana, etc.), certified organic and fair. Its activity has developed strongly in recent years (+19% between 2007 and 2013) and it is even struggling to meet demand (loss of turnover of 12% in 2011, because 99 t of ordered products could not be delivered).
In the mango sector, BADC is very dependent on small producers, which leads to major problems in securing and traceability of supplies. Thus, following various problems, including the loss of organic certification in 2011 and 2012, the volumes of mango treated decreased by three from 2011 (421 t) to 2013 (124 t).
With the support of its partners and shareholders, Investisseurs et Partenaires (I&P), Joint Venture Grameen Bank/Crédit Agricole and BIO, BADC has set itself the goal of significantly increasing its mango supplies to smallholder farmers.
Services provided
ECOCERT and BADC data were analysed for the last three years. The collection areas were visited and producers and collectors were interviewed (production potential, risks of chemical contamination, structuring of farmers, etc.). The entire BADC sector was analysed (time, costs, yields, etc.). On this basis, three services were provided:
- Revision of the business plan (calculation of marginal costs of production, processing and transversal costs, as well as revenues) and development of a 2015-2019 scenario of tripling volumes;
- Diagnosis of the traceability system: analysis of the reporting requirements of ECOCERT's Bio and ESR labels, analysis of the labelling reports issued over the last three years;
- Implementation of a traceability system: design of an Excel database (BdD) connected to a GIS, implementation of the BDD-GIS and training of the team, test in the Menchum supply area.
Summary of the service
Technical assistance to BADC to develop the organic and fair trade dried mango sector: Revision of the business plan and development of a 2015-2019 scenario of tripling volumes; Diagnosis of the traceability system (taking into account the reporting requirements of ECOCERT's Bio and ESR labels); Implementation of a traceability system (creation of a database connected to a GIS, training of the team, testing in the Menchum supply area).