Burkina Faso/Agro-processing: 150 companies benefit from the support of Hub-IIT, an innovative technological support system

Published on 16/10/2021 | La rédaction

Burkina Faso

The NGO Afrique Verte Burkina (AVB) organized this Thursday, October 14, 2021, a workshop to further present Hub-IIT and assess its performance and impacts after 18 months of implementation in Ouagadougou. It is also an opportunity to identify areas of collaboration between the NGO, business promoters and stakeholders in the ecosystem. The opening ceremony was chaired by the AVB coordinator, Philippe Ki.

Hub-IIT is a system designed to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the agro-processing sector (MPMEA). This mechanism was initiated by the French NGO Tech-Dev and implemented in four countries, namely Mali, Senegal, Chad and Burkina, with the support of the AFP. At the national level, Hub-IIT is being implemented by the NGO Afrique Verte Burkina in partnership with the Institute for Research in Applied Sciences and Technology (IRSAT). Its objective is to contribute to the development of Burkina Faso's MSMEs by facilitating their access to appropriate technological solutions that take into account environmental and social issues, and by supporting the search for financing and implementation.

Specifically, of the services offered, the Hub-IIT service manager in Burkina, Désiré Nanéma, cited support and advice on the application of good hygiene practices in enterprises, the provision of information on the environment and the use of renewable energy sources.These services are provided on an individual basis and are based on the needs of each company," he said, adding that the Hub-IIT's services include: advice on the application of good hygiene practices in companies, the provision of scientific and technical arguments to help them make better choices when it comes to equipment, packaging, and waste transformation or recovery processes. "These services are provided on an individual basis and are monitored over time. Each company has a referent who works alongside it to provide advice and evaluate the evolution of the company's activities," said Mr. Nanéma.

Encouraging results

The activities of this system started on March 10, 2020 in Ouagadougou and were extended to Bobo-Dioulasso in March 2021. After 18 months of implementation, the NGO Afrique Verte Burkina decided to make a stop to assess the results achieved at mid-term. As a result, despite a difficult start due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hub-IIT Burkina device has developed very quickly. "To date, we are monitoring 150 agri-food companies in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. Of the 150, we have recorded more than 400 requests for support, of which more than 70% have already been processed," said the head of Hub-IIT Burkina, Désiré Nanéma.

As far as the impact is concerned, this initiative has enabled about twenty companies to acquire new equipment on the basis of advice. At a time when other companies are in the process of expanding their production sites, the head of the department notes with satisfaction the improvement in the quality of the products of the companies that have benefited from their support.

"The results you have achieved are very important for scientific research and innovation because we can and will use them to develop new projects and improve the programmes of activities we are developing in the field of innovation.The director of IRSAT, Emmanuel Nanéma, said that his institute has made four referents available for this initiative (two in Bobo and two in Ouagadougou). But he does not intend to stop there. "We will continue to put all our knowledge at the disposal of the various actors and Hub-IIT Burkina," said Mr. Nanéma. Delivering the opening speech, the coordinator of the NGO Afrique Verte Burkina, Philippe Ki, pointed out that these results were made possible by the enthusiasm and interest shown by the promoters of enterprises.

Among them, Clarisse Kaboré. She is the manager of the cereal processing unit of Faso. This unit, which has benefited from Hub-IIT support, was experiencing difficulties related in particular to equipment. "You can have your money but you don't know where to get the equipment that will be suitable for your work. I needed a sifter to facilitate the work", confided Mrs. Kaboré, satisfied with the mechanism that allowed her to acquire this work equipment and at the same time to reinforce her production capacity. From five bags of flour per day, its daily production is estimated at more than 10 bags nowadays.

Source: lefaso.net


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