April 22, 2022

Improving product quality reaps rewards for NanAlim in Burkina Faso

Staple Crops

Burkina Faso

Dehydrated cassava couscous, commonly known as dehydrated attiéké, has made its mark on local markets in Burkina Faso in recent years. A flagship product resulting from the processing of cassava by the agri-food company NanAlim, dehydrated attiéké has now reached a higher level of quality thanks to the commitment of the promoter, Ms. ZOUMBARA Nana Sabine, and the involvement of several actors along the value chain.

In its production of dehydrated attiéké, the raw material used by NanAlim is cassava paste. NanAlim sources its raw material mainly from national processing units that transform the locally produced cassava into paste. It also collaborates with local processing units that transform the paste that it makes available to them into fresh attiéké. Through this arrangement, it ensures the traceability of its products and includes a large number of local companies in the value chain. In the past, it imported the paste from Côte d'Ivoire. This paste was sometimes of unsatisfactory quality with the color and taste of the final product varying from one production to another. In addition, there were often grains of sand and water. The transport conditions were sometimes so bad that the paste could arrive deteriorated or in decomposition.

To overcome this quality problem and increase its sales, NanAlim has initiated the implementation of a quality system through the traceability of the raw material, the respect of the installation standards, the control of the hygiene of the environment and the material through a cleaning and sanitization program, the control of the body hygiene of the people working within the unit and the development of tools for the management of the stocks and the specifications.

In order to better control the above-mentioned elements, a Quality Controller has been recruited within the company. This person monitors the quality of raw materials used in the production of fresh attiéké for consistency (fermented cassava paste) to ensure the quality of the final product before it is marketed, and also ensures that good hygiene and manufacturing practices are observed.

Through these controls, NanAlim was able to identify several causes of the poor quality of the paste, including unsuitable cassava varieties for the production of attiéké, poor control of the process of transforming the tubers into paste and poor quality of the equipment used, which has a direct impact on the quality of the final attiéké.

Obtaining quality raw materials through grassroots training

From imported dough with inconsistent acidity to local varieties unsuitable for processing, NanAlim has had to deal with the various causes of poor quality, with an emphasis on grassroots training.

The cassava produced in certain localities of Burkina Faso, such as Banfora, was not suitable for the production of attiéké. In order to ensure the quality of its products, NanAlim worked on the extension and adoption of a new variety with the support of 2SCALE. The organization and training of producers on good agricultural practices as well as the use of the V5 variety have made it possible to produce cassava suitable for processing. Ms. Nana/Zoumbara Sabine, NanAlim's promoter explains:

Cassava was produced in the Banfora area. At the very beginning, when we took this cassava, we always had difficulties. It was as if we were the ones who had not mastered the processing. We didn't know that it was a problem related to the variety. With the support of the research services, we found a suitable variety that is adapted to the transformation of attiéké and to the climatic conditions of Burkina. 2SCALE has supported the adoption of this variety to producers and has connected us to producers who use the V5 variety. This has strengthened the production in quantity and quality.

Driven by the desire to ensure consistent quality of the paste in terms of color, acidity and absence of foreign matter such as sand grains, pebbles and metals, NanAlim with the support of 2SCALE has trained a number of processing units, mainly run by women, in cassava producing localities on good hygiene practices and fermented paste production. This initiative, according to Mr. Ouédraogo David, NanAlim's Quality Control Manager, has not only reduced the workload within NanAlim, but also significantly improved the quality of the paste. He explains:

This initiative promoted the specialization of women paste processors. It was also presented as a solution to reduce the importation of fermented cassava paste, as transportation was very time consuming. Sometimes the paste arrived in a rotten state or with degraded quality due to contamination during mixed transport. It has also provided cassava marketing opportunities for producers who have adopted the V5 variety, as well as the inclusion of youth and women in the value chain.

Mrs. Ouédraogo Mariam is one of the young women who benefited from this initiative. Initially an attiéké processor and reseller, she quickly became a paste processor. She tells us:

“During our different meetings, I realized that the main challenge was the acquisition of the paste by the attiéké transformers. The women were going around with their money, but could not get paste. Meanwhile, the producers were also saying that they were producing, but there was no processing. I said, why not position myself between these two groups. So we started to transform the cassava into paste. Now the women don't have to go to Côte d'Ivoire to get it.”

A more attractive product in a packaging that meets the customer's expectations

The first Nanatiéké packages were made of kraft paper lined with plastic film, leaving a window through which the customer could have visual access to the product. However, for NanAlim's increasingly demanding clientele, it is very important to see the entire contents of the package to ensure that it does not hide any defects. NanAlim has therefore worked to meet their quality criteria through the use of a totally transparent package with a label giving all the information about the product and the company's contact for after-sales services.

"To have attiéké of this quality, it was not easy, but today we have reached our goal", said Mrs. Nana/Zoumbara Sabine.

Today, NanAlim has increased its sales of fresh attiéké and covers almost the entire country. Nanatiéké is certified NBF (Norme du Burkina Faso), the national mark of conformity for certified products in Burkina Faso. The satisfactory results obtained in this process have allowed NanAlim to move towards the setting up of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) system.

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