Involving women in the production of biofertilisers for a sustainable agriculture ecosystem

The Société de Développement d’Agriculture Durable (SDAD) specialises in the production or organic inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides for weeds. Young researcher Bienvenu Adjé runs the company. He specialises in agricultural biotechnologies and holds a patent for the invention of bio-mineralisation – a process which uses beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi to extract essential nutrients from weeds. With his expertise, he is able to formulate compositions for biofertilisers tailored to the specific needs of plants.

As part of Swisscontact's Béninclusif project, Adjé studied the local soils to to create a biological fertiliser specifically adapted to citrus fruit grown in the region. To enable the efficient production of organic fertiliser from weeds, he shared his bio-mineralisation technology with citrus growers. Several units have already been installed in collaboration with farmers' groups. One of these is the "Aman Gnon" women's group in Ouidah, southern Benin. The aim is to empower the group of women in the production of fertiliser while putting an end to the excessive exploitation of forests such as the cutting of mangrove wood for salt production. 

A wider impact on the community and the environment

Some of the women in the group were previously involved in salt production. To gain the salt, they collect the brackish water from the lagoon and use dried mangrove wood to heat and evaporate the water. Mangrove forests are (sub-)tropical ecosystems located in coastal areas such as Ouidah. This way of salt production leads to a drastic reduction in mangroves in the community. However, the women now have an alternative: they are involved in the production of biofertilisers. SDAD is also supporting those women who continue in salt production to develop a solar drying system to avoid using wood.

SDAD SARL has transferred its liquid compost production technology to its site in Ouidah. With this technology, the women convert weeds into a valuable raw material, which they supply to SDAD. The company then oxidises and formulates the raw biofertiliser into a concentrate sold throughout the country and West Africa. 

The involvement of women opens up new perspectives on the production chain of organic fertiliser, from the design stage to the marketing phase. This partnership raises awareness of market dynamics and encourages the development of sustainable value chians by reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers.

Each woman participating in this initiative has her own weed bio-mineralisation device, which promotes her personal commitment to the process and reinforces the entrepreneurial spirit of this inclusive and sustainable development model. This approach fosters an equitable collaboration where the benefits are shared, thereby encouraging the empowerment of women and the local economic growth.

Thanks to the group Aman gnon, SDAD SARL has increased its production capacity and range of biofertilisers sixfold. Through a more diverse and skilled partner, the company also benefits from the active involvement of the women by being better able to meet standards and obtain market-recognised certifications. The partnership between SDAD SARL and the women's group results in good quality organic fertilisers that farmers can buy at an affordable price. In this way, the women workers are contributing to the reduction of agricultural production costs and facilitate access to organic fertilisers.

The Béninclusif project is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.