Burkina Mango Fair’s 3rd Edition Celebrates the Resilience of the Sector’s Players in the Face of Current Challenges

The 3rd edition of the Mango Show (SAMA) will be held from July 4th to 5th, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso, under the theme: “Agro-pastoral and fisheries offensive 2023-2025: opportunity for sustainable revival of the mango sector in Burkina Faso.”

The opening ceremony took place this Thursday, July 4th, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Industrial Development, Trade, Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises, Serge Poda. This 2024 edition celebrates not only the mango, but also the resilience of the sector’s players in the face of the security crisis.

The Maison de la culture de Bobo-Dioulasso is hosting this 3rd edition of the Mango Show

It is organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burkina Faso, in collaboration with the Professional Mango Association of Burkina Faso. This 2024 edition brings together stakeholders in the mango sector to discuss the issue of the competitiveness of the mango sector in Burkina Faso. This show aims to create a platform to promote the potential and professions of the sector for better visibility and marketing of Burkina Faso mango products.

During these two days, on July 4th and 5th, various themes related to the sector will be discussed by professionals in the sector. B2B meetings will also be organized to network stakeholders, while stands are set up on the site of the Maison de la culture to serve as showcases for the various mango products. The SAMA aims to strengthen the competitiveness of companies in the mango sector on national and international markets to make Burkina a commercial platform. It is aimed at producers, processors, exporters and research stakeholders in the mango sector in Burkina Faso.

During the opening ceremony, the president of the interprofessional organization of Burkina mango stakeholders, Yaya Koné, spoke on behalf of all stakeholders in the sector to thank the minister in charge of trade and the minister of agriculture for their support for the mango sector, particularly the issue of energy resources (gas), which caused a significant delay in the start of the mango processing campaign.

The sector plays an essential role in the national economy

The mango sector plays an essential role in the national economy, particularly in the western part of the country. It represents a significant share of national fruit production and contributes to achieving food security and even sovereignty. In the Burkinabe economy, it represents a promising sector that creates jobs and shared wealth, given the diversity of social categories involved in the value chain of this product. According to President Yaya Koné, Burkina remains the world’s leading producer of organic dried mango.

Despite the many achievements of the sector, the players face many challenges including the aging of orchards, difficulties in supplying energy for processing, obstacles to export and access to more promising international markets. “In addition to these technical difficulties, the most distressing is the threat of a ban on the export of our mango to the European market, due to the presence of fruit fly larvae in mangoes,” he stressed. Before requesting special attention from the Minister of Commerce to this situation for the years to come.

Continuing his speech, Yaya Koné welcomed the holding of this edition of the Mango Show which, according to him, is a showcase for mango producers, processors and exporters. “It should also be noted that this show is an opportunity for better promotion of mango products and a framework for promoting the sector,” he suggested. For him, the choice of the theme is not fortuitous.

He thus affirms that the theme identified for this edition engages all stakeholders at all levels to be part of a coherent and inclusive dynamic. “This theme therefore perfectly meets the concerns of stakeholders in terms of development of the mango sector,” said Yaya Koné who remains convinced that producers’ incomes can be improved through the development and promotion of the mango sector.

Special mention was made to the Consular Chamber of the Hauts-Bassins region, which always has an important view of the concerns of the mango sector. The institution was represented by its president, Al Hassane Siénou, at this ceremony. He stressed that SAMA represents the joint commitment of the Consular Chamber of Hauts-Bassins to make the mango sector a strategic sector for the economic sovereignty of Burkina Faso.

He did not fail to recall that the mango sector plays an essential role in the national economy. “It brought our country in 2023, export revenues of around 22.447 billion CFA francs, thus contributing significantly to stimulating the economy and strengthening our country’s position on international markets,” he said.

Celebrating the resilience of industry players

For nearly a decade, Burkina has been going through an unprecedented crisis that threatens the very foundations of its existence as a state and affects the proper functioning of economic activity. According to the Minister in charge of trade, Serge Poda, the holding of the 3rd edition of SAMA is a sign and proof of the resilience of economic actors. This is why he expressed his gratitude and congratulations to the organizers of this event.

He also praised the relevance of the central theme of this edition. “The discussions planned around this central theme will make it possible to address the challenges and opportunities of the agricultural offensive for the mango sector in Burkina, but also the strategies for positioning the sector internationally and the means of resolving trade conflicts between players in the sector and foreign partners,” said Minister Serge Poda.

He acknowledged that despite its potential, the mango sector faces significant challenges to which urgent and concerted solutions must be found. He already reassures that there is a beginning of a solution through the Agropastoral and Fisheries Offensive 2023-2025.

Indeed, it intends to renew 15% of the mango orchard areas, or 5,000 ha of mango orchards. “The government, through my department, has adopted several policies and strategies to promote the creation and development of businesses, particularly in the processing of local raw materials,” he reassured.

Before adding: “The 3rd edition of the Mango Show offers us the opportunity to examine the challenges of the sector and to propose strategies to support the development and resilience of the mango sector in line with the Agropastoral and Fisheries Offensive 2023-2025 and to a large extent the Action Plan for Stabilization and Development.”

The panels planned during the work will allow to channel the exchanges in order to better understand the problem of the mango sector in Burkina Faso and to formulate relevant recommendations so that the mango can be a real opportunity for the national economy. There is also talk of the presentation of awards to the winners of the PACE-JF call for projects.

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(Featured image by Yoel Winkler via Unsplash)

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First published in le faso.net. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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