Faso Kaba

Faso Kaba was formally registered in 2007 and is one of the largest seed companies in Mali. It focuses on field crops and vegetables. It aims to tackle low adoption of improved seed, the large majority of the seed in Mali being reused and producing low yields. In addition to producing and selling seed, Faso Kaba works with various research institutes, such as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), to test new varieties. The company’s portfolio contains a diverse set of field crops, including legumes, and vegetable seeds.

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Western and Central Africa

Summary of results:

Faso Kaba ranks 17th in the 2019 Index for Western and Central Africa. The company scores highest in Marketing & Sales, thanks to numerous activities such as field days, an extensive network of stores across Mali and a wide presence in the region. In Seed Production, its activities involving several local cooperatives are also noteworthy. However, the lack of a full-fledged Research & Development program leads to low scores in the related measurement area and in Genetic Resources and Intellectual Property. The Transparency score is also modest, and the company is encouraged to publicly disclose more details on its strategy to reach smallholder farmers.

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Operations in Scope
  • Countries in Scope
  • Company Presence
  • Production Locations
  • Breeding Station/R&D
Index Crops in Portfolio
Sales Seed type
bfa civ gin lbr mli mrt sen sle gmb Hybrid OPV GM
Field crops
Cowpea
Groundnut
Maize
Sorghum
Rice, paddy
Sorghum
Vegetables
Eggplant
Okra
Onion
Pepper (hot)
Tomato
Leading Practices

    Faso Kaba has distribution channels in eight index countries, which is high relative to its regional peers. The company also reports selling seed in Syria.

Areas for Improvement

    Faso Kaba is encouraged to disclose the full scope of its access to seeds-related activities in Western and Central Africa.

     

    The company has seed production activities in Mali in which it involves smallholder farmers. It is encouraged to disclose how it ensures fair social and labor conditions in these activities, and how it monitors compliance with social standards when working through farmer cooperatives.

Notable Findings

    Faso Kaba’s founder and owner, Maïmouna Sidibe Coulibaly, received the 2017 Africa Food Prize for her work on producing and distributing improved and high-yielding seeds in Mali and across West Africa. The Prize committee highlighted that Coulibaly, through Faso Kaba, has significantly improved the food security and incomes of smallholder farmers.

    Faso Kaba is a member of the Seed Association of Mali and the African Seed Trade Association.

     

    The company has a policy statement that encompasses the aims to improve food security and eliminate malnutrition in Mali and sub-Saharan Africa.

     

    The company has collaborative testing projects with the following research institutes: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), AfricaRice, Institute of Rural Economy (l’Institut d’Economie Rurale, IER), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the World Vegetable Center.

    Faso Kaba works with 25 seed cooperatives in Mali, through which it engages smallholder farmers in seed production. The company provides fertilizers and pre-basic seed to the producers.

     

    The company’s seed is certified by Mali’s National Directorate of Agriculture, the official government body ensuring quality.

     

    The company has a network of 150 agro-dealers across Mali for the dissemination of its seed.

     

    The company regularly organizes field days to demonstrate to farmers the benefits of improved varieties and other inputs for increased productivity. It specifically targets women smallholder farmers, who make up about 40% of the participants.

     

    In addition to seed, the company sells fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and postharvest equipment.

     

    The company reports reaching about 300,000 smallholder farmers annually through its marketing and capacity building activities such as field days and training.

     

    The company offers training opportunities such as internships for young graduates from farming schools to help integrate them into the farming community.