Sahelian Onion Productivity and Market Expansion (SOPMEP)
Regional programme lifting onion yields and expanding market access for smallholder farmers across the Sahel, improving incomes for over 8,000 farm families.
SOPMEP was an onion productivity and market expansion programme designed to reduce poverty and improve food security. SOPMEP as a cross border programme focused on Ghana and Burkina Faso in its first year and expanded to Niger, Mali, and Benin subject to the availability of additional funding.
SOPMEP was a UNDP funded cross-border programme implemented in Ghana and Burkina Faso with spillovers in Niger, Mali and Benin. The interventions focused on transferring good agronomic practices, improving post-harvest storage and techniques, introducing selling scenarios/schedules, and increasing yields of producers through improved agricultural practices. The programme intensified the role of support service providers along the chain and increased market access whilst developing suitable financial products. It also trained 2,500 farmers on cost benefit analysis, cash flow management and accessing micro finance.
Project Objectives
- To reduce postharvest losses, increase market access and incomes of onion value chain actors.
- To increase access to finance by onion producers and other chain actors.
- To strengthen the capacity of producers on good agricultural practices.
- To foster regional collaboration and monitor progress of work.
Project Output
- 34 small family size level storage structures valued at $200 each constructed in Ghana for communities that previously stored only in their rooms.
- 46 medium and large family size storage structures (made from local materials; mud and sticks) valued at $140–$260 constructed, cheaper than existing Steel Structures costing $1,400.
- Selected beneficiaries in Ghana who sold in June recorded a 400% increase in price, up from $25/bag in March to $100/bag.
- 3,000 illustrated posters on Postharvest Practices on Onion developed and printed for training.
- About 1,300 and 1,840 farmers in Ghana and Burkina Faso respectively had their capacities built in good post-harvest management and construction of family-based storage structures.
Lessons Learnt
- Complementary projects that provided funding support to different aspects of the project, combined with in-kind contributions from FEPA/B in Burkina, contributed to successful execution in the Tenado Department.
- Though SOPMEP achieved significant success in the limited time, challenges included budget constraints, time, reach and impact of the project.
Countries/Locations: Ghana, Burkina Faso
Project Partners: NorthFin Foundation, MOFA, FEPA-B, ASNAPP, TRIAS, Progressive Onion Traders and Producers Association