Burkina Faso: Drying fruits and vegetables helps reduce post-harvest losses

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As the first rays of sunlight appear, Sarata Ouédraogomoves from one dryer to another. Wearing gloves, she carefully inspects the quality of the sliced mangoes spread across the drying racks.

Ms. Ouédraogo says, “Transforming mangoes gives them a second life. It also helps many families earn a living.”

In 1999, Ms. Ouédraogo founded the Paoline Association in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, about 300 kilometres west of the capital, Ouagadougou. The association processes and dries fruits and vegetables, including mangoes, tomatoes, hibiscus, cashew apples, and cowpeas. Today, it has 130 members, most of them women.

Ms. Ouédraogo says, “Before, I sold fresh fruit, but I suffered huge losses because the fruit spoiled before it could be sold. That’s why I decided to start drying it.”

The association started with two traditional solar dryers. Today, its processing unit uses three types of drying technology: traditional solar dryers, ten Atesta dryers, and two hybrid drying tunnels powered by gas and electricity.

Looking over the facilities, Ms. Ouédraogo explains that traditional solar dryers cost between 30,000 and 90,000 CFA francs. However, she says a lack of sunshine can extend drying time to three days or more, often reducing product quality.

Ms. Ouédraogo says, “Sometimes, wood residues from the drying racks end up on the final product.”

She explains that Atesta dryers require a much larger investment. Depending on the model and its features, an Atesta dryer costs between 150,000 and 2 million CFA francs, while a drying tunnel costs between 7 and 15 million CFA francs.

Despite the higher cost, she says the newer technologies have greatly improved productivity.

Ms. Ouédraogo says, “These systems improve both the quality and hygiene of our products. Today, we produce more than 60 tonnes of certified organic products and more than 200 tonnes of conventional products each year.”

With an Atesta dryer or a drying tunnel, nearly 200 kilograms of produce can be dried in just 14 to 17 hours. Drying the same quantity in the sun takes two to three days.

This business veenture has improved the lives of the women who work at the association. Ms. Ouédraogo says, “Thanks to Paoline, I can help pay my children’s school fees, and I have become financially independent.”

Fati Barry works on the processing team, peeling and slicing mangoes into thin strips with remarkable speed and precision.

Ms. Barry says, “Drying fruit has allowed me to buy a bicycle, purchase kitchen utensils, and, above all, contribute to my family’s expenses. Every woman here has seen her financial situation improve.”

Coulibaly Seydou, a local agricultural technician who supports the Paoline Association, explains the science behind the drying process.

Mr. Coulibaly says, “The drying system works by carefully removing moisture from the fruit. In drying ovens, the ideal temperature for fruits and vegetables ranges from about 45 to 65 degrees Celsius.”

He explains that fruits such as mangoes and tomatoes are highly perishable. During the peak harvest season, overproduction floods local markets and leads to significant post-harvest losses. Drying transforms this challenge into an opportunity by converting these fragile products into foods that can be stored for more than a year.

However, Mr. Coulibaly says traditional open-air drying has important limitations. He explains, “If the sun disappears for several consecutive days, moisture remains trapped inside the fruit, allowing mould to develop.”

He adds that drying fruit in the open air also creates serious food safety risks. Fruits are exposed to dust, wind, bird droppings, and vehicle exhaust fumes. The natural sugars in the fruit attract insects, rodents, and domestic animals. In addition, ultraviolet rays destroy vitamins, while drying too slowly—or under excessively hot conditions—causes the fruit to brown and lose its natural colour.

Although Ms. Ouédraogo believes drying tunnels provide the best results, she says high energy costs remain a major obstacle.

To reduce these costs, the Paoline Association is currently testing a biodigester as an alternative energy source with support from its partner, Biostar.

Ms. Ouédraogo says lower energy prices for local processing businesses would help reduce post-harvest losses, which still account for an estimated 30 to 50% of agricultural production in Burkina Faso.

Today, Ms. Ouédraogo is proud to play a role in reducing that waste. Whenever she sees Paoline products displayed in shops across Bobo-Dioulasso, she smiles.

Ms. Ouédraogo says, “I know I’m making a difference.”