Sigec launches USD 2.8M project to support mango sector in Mali

MALI – The Industrial Company of Management and Commerce (Sigec) launched a three-year project, “Mali Mangoro Yiriwa,” on August 8th 2024, aimed at boosting the mango sector in the Sikasso and Bougouni regions of Mali.

This project is co-funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Feed the Future initiative, which focuses on improving food security and reducing poverty.

The project is set to benefit over 12,000 smallholder farmers by providing technical training, especially in integrated pest management to combat fruit flies—a significant challenge for mango producers.

The training aims to equip farmers with the skills needed to boost mango yields and quality, ultimately encouraging greater investment in the sector.

In addition to training, Sigec plans to establish a mango processing unit in Sikasso. This facility will produce fruit juices, jams, and dried mangoes for both local consumption and export.

Sigec’s manager, Diango Cissé, highlighted the project’s potential impact: “With this project, first and second choice mangoes will all be valued, increasing both Sigec’s and producers’ incomes by 20 to 30%. The new processing unit will create 50 direct jobs and 300 indirect jobs.”

Mali’s mango production reached over 80,000 tons in 2023, with an estimated production potential of more than 575,000 tons annually.

However, much of this potential remains untapped due to challenges in processing and market access. The “Mali Mangoro Yiriwa” project seeks to address these issues by improving production techniques and expanding processing capabilities, thereby increasing the income of local farmers.

In a parallel development, Mali’s oilseed sector is set to benefit from a new USD 23 million agro-industrial complex inaugurated on July 2 in Sanankoroba, Koulikoro region.

Financed by the Seydou Diogo Awa Company (SDA), the complex spans 7 hectares and includes six industrial units designed to process various oilseeds, including shea butter, soybean, peanut, and cotton oil, with a capacity of 100 tons per day.

Moussa Alassane Diallo, Mali’s Minister of Industry and Trade, emphasized the complex’s role in establishing economic links between local producers and the agro-industrial sector.

“This complex intends to develop, upstream as sources of supply of raw materials, soybean, sesame, and groundnut crops, which will create an agropole,” he said.

The complex is expected to create over 10,000 jobs in the long term, contributing significantly to the local economy. Besides processing oilseeds, the facility includes units for livestock feed production, soap manufacturing, and plastic canister production.

Mali’s oilseed crops, grown on nearly 1.3 million hectares, include cotton, groundnuts, sesame, and shea, making this new complex a critical addition to the country’s agro-industrial landscape.

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