In 2006, to increase their leverage and income, the sesame producers of Banamba (Koulikoro, Mali) banded together to form a union of 23 cooperatives. The union, abbreviated as UPSB, comprises of 2,310 sesame producers, of whom 985 are female.
UPSB leaders soon realized that they could gain an export advantage by cultivating and selling “bio” sesame. In early 2008, they sought the assistance of SNV, who had long been working in the Koulikoro region for the DERK Programme, which is funded by the Dutch government.
SNV brokered a framework agreement with Yiriwa SA, a partner organization. Yiriwa SA would help the UPSB cultivate sesame, soybean, and other crops according to “bio” standards. SNV trained the sesame farmers in production, harvesting, cleaning and storage techniques.
To give the UPSB access to commercial credit, SNV's partner, the Koulikoro Regional Chamber of Agriculture placed a guarantee fund at the union’s disposal. The Chamber also let the UPSB use its farming equipment, warehouses and offices.
As harvest season approached, Yiriwa SA funded the bio certification process, carried out by the certification agency, Control Union. After thorough field inspections, Control Union branded the UPSB crops as “bio”.
The UPSB then had to face the challenge of marketing their produce. Union leaders and SNV worked together to create an effective business plan. The process involved selecting service providers, negotiating with commercial partners, searching for markets and training UPSB leaders in marketing techniques. The plan hit its mark. By the end of the 2008-2009 agricultural campaign, the UPSB had produced and sold 400 tons of biological sesame to Yiriwa SA.
Bio certification not only boosted sales, but also producer revenues. During the 2007-2008 campaign, producers sold their sesame to the UPSB for FCFA 330 (EUR 0.5) per kilo. During 2008-2009, UPSB was able to offer them FCFA 436/kg (EUR 0.7) – a 32% increase in sales price.
The sesame farmers are overjoyed at the results. “This year, I did not lose a single cent of my sesame revenue because of market problems”, said Mr. Issa Kané, a farmer from the village of Sirbala. The extra income has given rural producers better access to education, health and other social services.
In the coming years, UPSB aims to improve the quality of its bio sesame by practicing better cleaning, storage and packaging techniques. As the sesame needs to be re-certified every year, the Union will tighten control standards to ensure that they keep the “bio” label. Union leaders are optimistic that the 2009/2010 campaign will yield equally impressive results.