Mali Agro-Processing Plants for Shea, Rice, Mango and Sesame

Mali is a landlocked country. The northern part lies within the Sahara Desert, while the southern part is mostly low-lying savanna, and rainfall decreases from the south towards the north. The Niger River runs through the country, and rice is irrigated in the Niger River valley, making rice mills and parboiling equipment relevant. In the south, around Sikasso, women collect shea nuts, which are sold raw or processed locally into artisanal butter.

Mango is grown in regions such as Sikasso and Koulikoro, and fruit is exported to Europe by sea and air, so pulping, juice and dehydration lines can help absorb fruit that does not reach those markets. Sesame is grown in Mali and can be cleaned and pressed for oil, which gives oilseed processors a higher-value product than raw seed.

As the country has no sea coast, imports and exports travel overland through neighbouring countries. Likely users include rice millers, shea butter producers, fruit processors, oilseed crushers and cooperatives. The Sahelian climate has a single rainy season, and the dry months outside it make solar-assisted drying worth discussing for several of these raw materials.