Dried Pineapple Benin

In 2022, CBI launched a five-year project in Benin to empower female workers and improve their working conditions in the dried pineapple sector. The project does so by:

• Improving the working conditions of females;
• Strengthen their ability to advocate for their needs and priorities within their working environment.

These efforts align with the sectors growth in producing and exporting high-quality dried pineapple to the EU market.

The project aims to achieve the goals by focusing on three pathways: 

1. Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter new markets;
2. Targeting their female workforce with a focus on improved working conditions;
3. Promoting the adoption of good practices by more stakeholders across the sector.

Agriculture is important for Benin's economy. It contributes:

• 33% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP);
• 75% of export earnings;
• 15% of government revenue.

Agriculture also provides 70% of jobs (PSRSA Evaluation Report, 2016). The sector has great potential to lead national economic growth and reduce poverty. Women play a vital role in producing, processing, and marketing agricultural goods.

Project goals

• Promote sustainable business practices for SMEs while ensuring good working conditions for women through increased exports to the EU;
• Empower women workers to voice their needs and priorities in the workplace;
• Encourage all stakeholders (SMEs beyond the project, government institutions and civil society actors) to improve and advocate for decent working conditions, particularly for working mothers in the agro-business sector.

Project participants and products

A total of eight companies are participating in this export coaching project.

Please contact CBI by email agriculture@cbi.eu or one of these exporters for more information.

Would you like to meet these potential suppliers?

Partners

• La Coopérative des entreprises de transformation d’ananas du Bénin (Cetrab);
• APIEx;
• The Netherlands embassy in Benin;
• ENABEL .

Activities

• 4 years of personalised, one-on-one company coaching. Highly-qualified international experts provide coaching on export development and decent working conditions. We will tailor the coaching to your specific needs;
• Market orientation mission to Biofach Berlin, and SARA IvoryCoast to explore export opportunities;
• Help to create an international market entry strategy;
• Advice on what certification is suitable for your market entry strategy;
• Assessments and support to create a plan to improve your responsible business conduct practices on a social and environmental level;
• Participation in international trade fairs and other business-to-business matchmaking activities;
• Training on production improvement, human resources, certification, marketing and communication, packaging, digital solutions, international trade fair participation, corporate social responsibility (CSR), gender and decent work, waste management, improved agricultural practices and processing. 

Results 

After this project, SMEs and staff have:

• Increased knowledge on production processes (dryer suppliers/handling/training);
• Business skills
• International market requirements that enable SMEs to export dried pineapple (collectively) to regional and EU markets. 

SME business owners will also be aware of:

• The importance of HR;
• Non-violent communication and strong independent teams;
• Decent working conditions requirements (especially for women), including formalisation of casual labour contracts.

At the same time, workers have increased confidence in their ability to raise their voices at work and a communication mechanism is in place for women workers.

Get involved as an importer

Are you a European importer interested in dried pineapple from companies in Benin? Contact CBI for more information or to meet with suppliers in this project being trained to export to Europe.