FRES plans to set up a mini-grid in Koutoura village to provide power to Sowdjoma, a shea butter producing cooperative serving 950 women farmers.
Sowdjoma intends to build five decentralised pre-processing centres over the next 5 years, however targeted locations lack access to electricity thus FRES project will be part of Sowdjoma’s expansion plan with the aim of providing power at the production centres.
The power will be used for the pre-treatment phase of shea butter production i.e. boiling, deshelling, drying and roasting as well as other agro-activities such as irrigation and milling.
One of its partners, ‘FRES’ subsidiary in Burkina Faso, Yeelen Ba, will own and manage the mini-grid under a fee-for-service model. Sowdjoma’s cooperative member structure will enable year-round use of the solar power and the payment of the fees by shea farmers and other productive users of electricity. The agro-processing centre will be fitted with agro-equipment and ownership will be transferred to Sowdjoma via a rent-to-buy scheme upon completion of payment.