Burkina Faso moringa

The moringa tree has major agroforestry potential. It produces goods, enhances soil fertility, restores land, and thrives where other crops do not. Moringa products are gaining popularity for their health benefits, offering real potential for Burkina Faso's sustainable export economy.

CBI launched the Burkina Faso natural ingredients moringa programme (2021 – 2026) to promote sustainable business practices in the sector, improve soil conditions through tree planting, create economic opportunities through exports, and support local food security. We selected 7 companies to take part.

We are now in the final year of this programme. We are looking for donors, investors, and EU importers who want to be part of what comes next.

Project purpose

The moringa tree, also known as the drumstick tree, miracle tree, ben oil tree, or horseradish tree, is important in Burkina Faso's agricultural sector. Around 2,000 people rely on moringa for part of their income. Of this group, 95% are women. Most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) currently sell in local or regional markets. There is growing potential to export from Burkina Faso, following the example of countries like Nigeria and Ghana.

One of moringa's most important qualities is its role in agroforestry. Planting moringa trees:

• Restores land
• Supports biodiversity
• Reduces climate change
• Provides income for communities.

Accessing the European Union (EU) market remains a challenge"

• Certification is costly and time-consuming
• Processing equipment is limited
• Maintaining a consistent supply of high-quality products is difficult. 

The political situation in Burkina Faso in recent years has added further complications. For example, travel restrictions have affected both project activities and the ability of local SMEs to get certified.

Despite the challenges, the sector is making real progress. The selected moringa producers partnered with CBI to develop sustainable business models, improve product quality, and explore new markets. Their success has boosted moringa's profile in Burkina Faso. Inspired by these pioneers, a new wave of entrepreneurs is now entering the market, driving further growth in the sector.

The long-term vision we share with our partners is to create a strong and self-sustaining moringa sector in Burkina Faso. Together, we are committed to seeing economic growth and ecological value reinforce each other. This will improve both farmers' income and land quality.

Become a partner

CBI seeks ambitious partners who share our commitment to inclusive, sustainable trade and are willing to invest in local, lasting solutions.

We are especially interested in entrepreneurs and organisations that are active in the moringa or natural ingredients sector, are committed to sustainable production and trade, and are ready to engage closely with local stakeholders in Burkina Faso.

We are also interested in Dutch and European importers who are looking for quality moringa suppliers and value strong social and environmental standards.

Reach out now

What does a partnership with CBI look like?  

CBI is a non-funding organisation. We offer hands-on support to develop and test solutions that work: connecting partners, sharing knowledge, and helping to scale what has been learned.

For SMEs, this can include guidance on production quality and efficiency, certification guidance, market entry support, and connections to European Union buyers.

For sector partners and institutions, we offer the opportunity to co-develop good practices and share them across the broader sector.

Joining the programme is free. Partner SMEs are asked to cover their own costs for travel to European market access activities and domestic travel for training sessions held outside their city.

Partners

We are currently in the final implementation phase of this programme. and 6 SMEs participate actively.

The current partners include:

We are particularly interested in hearing from:

• Donors and development organisations looking to invest in a growing and promising sector
• Dutch and European importers interested in sourcing quality moringa from Burkina Faso
• Organisations working on sector development or business support in West Africa

If this interests you, we want to explore ways to work together.

Collaborate with us

Would you like to help Burkina Faso's moringa sector grow sustainably? We would appreciate to hear from you. Whether you are a donor, an importer, or an organisation with ideas about how to strengthen the sector for the long term.

For questions or more information, please contact Tamara Flink.

Reach out now

About CBI

CBI promotes sustainable production and trade between low-and middle-income countries and the Netherlands and Europe. We partner with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their ecosystem to strengthen their social and environmental sustainability.  

CBI is part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and commissioned by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.