From Seasonal to Year-Round Business Activities
Sédhiou Region, Senegal
Mahani Thioune, mother of seven, is the president of a women’s farmer group in the Sédhiou Region of Senegal. Through the USAID funded Yombal mbojj project and Bountifield partner Caritas, Mahani’s farmer group received one of Bountifield’s multi-crop grinder that they use for producing peanut butter from groundnuts. Restricted to the available groundnut supply, the grinder is mostly used for seasonal activities.
After participating in a training with Bountifield on the maintenance and the range of uses for producing value-added products, Mahani decided to try using the grinder for products other than peanut butter during the off season. She has since started using the grinder to make small packets of black pepper powder that she sells to other families in her community.
“Bountifield’s grinder changed my seasonal activities to a year-round profit-making activity,” says Mahani, appreciating the potential of using any types of crops with the grinder.
In just thirty minutes, Mahani can grind 250g of black pepper which she then packages into small bags for sale. These packets of ground pepper provide a small profit on top of her other activities. “With the grinder, I can make more profit by selling more flours depending on the season.”
Access to time and labor-saving technologies not only makes postharvest processing more efficient but is also a beneficial resource for entrepreneurial opportunities. With the additional support of training and services Bountifield provides, farmers like Mahani are inspired to find other creative ways for income-generating activities to support both their families and the growth of their agribusinesses.
Bountifield is proud to support Mahani and the women’s farmer group that she leads, as they expand their income-generating activities with value-added products.
The Yombal mbojj project in Senegal is funded by USAID Feed the Future.