Scaling up African baobab food products valuation through enhancement of their safety and value chains for food and nutritional security in Benin, West-Africa

The African Baobab is a strategic indigenous tree species of sub-Saharan Africa. Its pulp is highly nutraceutical and is used as a food ingredient and dietary supplement. Locally, the pulp is used for several products. Leaves are also highly nutritious and nutraceutical with increasing demand too. As a result, pulp and leaves are overharvested in the wild, jeopardizing the species natural stands. Domestication of baobab has become urgent and several researches have been carried out to speed this process, though several aspects are still uncovered. With the growing local/global market around baobab products, it becomes imperative to structure/upgrade its value chain which yet has been so far disregarded in national State agenda, in spite of its demonstrated potential to promote pro-poor growth, especially for women who often specialize in baobab products related activities. Taking advantage of knowledge and products generated by two recent (2015-2017) RUFORUM-GRG projects (125 & 135) projects in Benin, the aim of this project is to develop a sustainable and competitive baobab value chain in Benin. The project is built around six work-packages and will facilitate university-TVET and community linkages to upgrade baobab products value chain while contributing to improve farmers’ livelihoods and baobab conservation.