Benin/Soybean processing: The Government offers Zogbodomey cooperatives kits and a modern processing unit worth 68 million euros

On Wednesday March 5, 2025 in Zogbodomey, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Gaston Cossi DOSSOUHOUI, handed over soybean processing kits and inaugurated a modern unit for processing soybeans into cheese. A tangible proof of the actions of the Projet d'Appui au Développement des Filières Protéiniques (PADEFIP) for the benefit of its beneficiaries.

PADEFIP is a Government Action Program project for the departments of Zou and Collines, financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). For the past five years, beneficiaries have been rubbing their hands.

The modern soya-cheese processing unit, costing a total of 35 million FCFA, is being built for 25 cooperatives of soya processors in Zogbodomè. The project is designed to boost the sales of processing cooperatives by 15%, from 24 million to 28 million, and to increase net income by 5%. This economic performance will have the effect of increasing the need for grain soybeans by 84%, i.e. from 44 tonnes per year to 81 tonnes per year over three years.

The processing kit consists of a soybean mill with a stainless steel hopper, a gasoline engine and a grinder with a capacity of 50 to 80 kg of ground soybeans per hour; aa semi-artisanal soymilk extraction unit comprising an iron stand, a perforated basin, a white cloth and a standard basin; two N° 50 cooking pots; a 120-liter drum; and a set of strainer molds. These kits, worth 35 million euros, will help to improve the soya processing process, enhance cheese quality and consequently develop the market and improve the income of 120 cooperatives.

"Brave women soya processors of Zou, this is your day, your sun has risen and you must take advantage of it to dry and win. When the woman wins, the household wins. This equipment will enable each woman to mobilize at least 175,000 FCFA per month. She gains in financial autonomy. But they need to be monitored by our services so that we can build the soy label in Benin. This unit is the beginning of the revolution, of the construction of the soy label", Minister Gaston Cossi DOSSOUHOUI told the beneficiaries.

At the ceremony, the beneficiaries acknowledged the qualitative change brought about by the project in their soy processing activities, and the economic spin-offs for their businesses. They thanked President TALON's government.

Source: www.gouv.bj