Context

The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in food security by providing the population with staple foods. Guinea is known for its fertile land, its favourable soil and climate conditions for horticulture, and its overall potential in the agricultural and food sector. The country and sub-region also represent a growing import market that could benefit local production more if it were developed for both fresh and processed products. This is particularly true for the potato, pineapple and horticulture value chains, which are the focus of this project. Guinean pineapples are famous for their ‘Baronne’ variety. Beyond this marketing niche, the potential of Guinean pineapple also lies in the development of sustainable production in quantities for fresh consumption and processing into juice or dried pineapple for local, regional or international markets. Guinea has also succeeded in developing its potato production. However, the sector still faces organisational factors that prevent it from developing more rapidly and sustainably, as well as pressing phytosanitary problems (potato moth, bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solani and, above all, late blight caused by Phytophtora solani).

The interventions to be carried out aim to strengthen the organisation of these three value chains by (i) improving the capacity of actors involved in agricultural extension, producer associations and family farms, and (ii) setting up value chains involving inclusive clusters engaged in agro-ecological transition processes. The seed sector of these value chains will also be addressed.

Guinea has been a partner country of Belgian development cooperation since 2015. Through this partnership, Belgium aims to provide structural support for human rights and the social and economic development of the country. The Guinea-Belgium cooperation programme 2023-2027 is structured around four complementary interventions, in line with the priorities identified to strengthen resilience to climate, food and economic shocks, employability, economic inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable Guinean populations, in particular young people and women:

• Intervention 1: Strengthening the resilience of the Guinean population to climate, food and economic shocks through sustainable agricultural development.
• Intervention 2 : Employability and economic integration of young people and women
• Intervention 3 : Women’s empowerment, including access to sexual and reproductive health rights and services, and women’s leadership.
• Intervention 4: Capacity, fragility, innovation and territory

The action entrusted by ENABEL to COLEAD, in consortium with ICRA, falls within the scope of intervention 1.

Objectives

The general objective of the proposal is to contribute to improving the incomes of those involved in the potato, pineapple and vegetable sectors in the Kindia and Mamou regions, particularly young people and women.

The specific objective is to enable Guinean operators in the pineapple, vegetable and potato value chains to make a comprehensive commitment to a gradual transition to agro-ecology, while meeting market requirements.

Partner beneficiaries

The groups targeted by the direct intervention are divided into 2 categories:

• Operators: the clusters to be created or strengthened: selected aggregators made up of MSMEs (production, potential processing and marketing) linked to the pineapple, potato and vegetable CVAs, including producer-supplier groups/cooperatives.
• Support services: consultants and consultancy firms, producer and professional groups/organisations/associations (with a representative function), NGOs, public and private extension services and local support programmes for small producers, training centres, etc.

Indirect final beneficiaries include rural and urban households, local and regional buyers and retailers, local and regional consumers.

Particular attention will be paid to the involvement of small producers, young people and women in the development of the pineapple and potato sectors and, more generally, at market garden level.

Expected results

• The process of agro-ecological transformation of the targeted agricultural value chains (AVCs) has begun, including the identification of priority areas for the transformation of agricultural extension services and the seed sector.
• Inclusive, high-performing clusters increase production, processing and marketing of targeted AVCs.
• Associations are supported to improve services to their members.