In Burkina Faso we are working with a local drying facility to produce organic dried mango. Located in Banfora, in the South-West of the country, the area boasts a lush, tropical climate that is ideal for mango production. Our mangoes are grown by an organic certified mango farmer group, whose farms are located close to our drying facility.

Reducing Food Waste and Boosting Income

Our organic mango farmers in Burkina Faso grow their mangoes primarily for the exportation of fresh fruit, a production that typically sees a lot of fruit going to waste. Quality standards for fresh retail mangoes are very strict in terms of size, color and shape, and many mangoes are discarded after harvest because they do not meet these standards. While the rejected mangoes may not have the perfect aesthetics, they still taste delicious, and at our drying facility we turn these mangoes into sweet organic dried mango. Our drying facility helps to prevent food waste and offers the mango farmers a market for their lesser-grade mangoes.

State-of-the-Art Mango Drying Facility

We are proud of our close and longstanding relationship with the mango drying facility in Banfora. In 2016, we helped to install a series of state-of-the-art container driers which helped to increase the capacity of the drying facility and provided more control over the drying process. Our quality staff assisted in the installation of the new driers and provided training to the management and staff of the drying facility. In addition, we have a staff member located in Banfora during the harvest and production season to assist and monitor the production of the dried mango.

Making a Difference for Farmers and Workers

By providing a market for lesser-grade mangoes, our organic dried mango project results in an increased income for local farmers and a welcome source of employment to facilitiy workers in the region. During the harvest and production season, our dried mango project hires up to 400 seasonal and full-time workers. The workforce includes many female staff who are involved in every stage of the drying process and the handling of the finished product. Our workers are trained before the season to enable them to work according to the necessary organic and food safety standards, ensuring the best quality product at all times.