Back to the newsThe Société Coopérative de Transformation et Commercialisation des Produits Agricoles (SOCOPA) aims to help increase agricultural production and enable small-scale producers to benefit from the added value of processed food products in Burundi. This objective is shared with a number of international players who facilitate the implementation of agricultural product processing units, and more recently with SIDI and AFD, who aim to facilitate access to financing and support in the development of the structure (supply, processing, marketing) for SOCOPA. SOCOPA, a company, was therefore created in 2015 with the financial support of the cooperative societies that joined the project, notably by contributing capital assets from international donors.
“Burundi is a small, landlocked country (27,834km²) with a high population density (around 10.5 million inhabitants and 403 inhabitants/km²). Agriculture employs 90% of the population and contributes 50% to the national GDP. Arable land is becoming increasingly scarce. As a result, poverty is predominantly rural (71.1%) and mainly affects small farmers.
Most of the country’s agricultural production of rice, manioc and maize is self-consumed. Overall, it is estimated that agriculture contributes 95% of Burundi’s food supply. Imports cover part of the needs of urban areas in particular. Burundi’s market is for processed products from the EAC (East African Community) and elsewhere.
“To date, 08 processing units for 05 main agricultural products (rice, cassava, maize, tomatoes, bananas) have been set up in the north and south of Burundi (Rugombo, Gihanga, Maramvya, Nyanzalac, Kayogoro, Masanganzira, Ruyigi).
Sales have now reached almost €280K, an increase over the last 03 years (SEE APPENDIX 01).
Most of these sales are in urban areas.
The company employs 64 people (including 6 at head office), most of whom work in the processing units.
