As part of the Meriem* project in Mali, GRET and its partner Hystra supported the Aminata Konaté business, better known as Bara Musso, to develop and market fortified Nafama spices, a product intended for women.
In Mali, 46 % of women suffer from anaemia. By providing nutritional value suited to their needs, fortified food have strong potential to prevent this phenomenon, particularly in cities, where families seek food products that are affordable, easy to prepare and appealing.
On 6 September last in Mali, Bara Musso launched the Nafama spices, its first fortified product for women of childbearing age, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, in order to contribute to the fight against malnutrition in the country.
Nafama, the secret of women who manage!
Nafama, the secret of women who manage! is a 100% local product. It contains a mixture of spices made up of 12 or 15 ingredients, according to the recipe (ginger-turmeric-garlic and clove-sumbala), that can be sprinkled directly onto an individual meal after cooking. Rich in iron and minerals, this new spice is a fortified condiment responding specifically to the nutritional needs of women of childbearing age, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, which complies with international standards.
À l’occasion de la mise sur le marché du produit, une grande cérémonie de lancement mettant à l’honneur les femmes
To mark the product being put on the market, a grand launch ceremony paying tribute to women was held on 4 September 2021 at the international conference centre in Bamako. More than 500 exceptional guests participated in this special event, chaired by the CEO of Bara Musso, the representative of the Malian Nutrition Division, the mayor of municipality IV, the director of studies of the Santé Plus institute, and the managers of the Meriem project in Mali.
“We are particularly proud of the enthusiasm generated by this launch, it is crucial to contribute to the health of Malian women”,
Mamby Diakité, deputy manager of the Meriem project.
The Nafama spices launch ceremony in Bamako, September 2021 © GRET, 2021
A look back at an innovative promotional campaign
Since the launch last September, a large-scale operation is being rolled out to promote the Nafama products. Activities are carried out at 41 markets in Bamako: tasting, games, events and roadshows with prizes to be won. “While the objective is to sell, above all, we want to have as much fun as possible with people at markets and attract the attention of consumers” explains Modibo Coulibaly, coordinator of the Bara Musso launch.
A major advertising campaign was also implemented on sotramas (minibuses ensuring public transport in Mali) and branded taxis, and on billboards in strategic neighbourhoods in Bamako, close to markets. Roll-out of POS advertising enabled Nafama to be visible all over Bamako.
“Nafama tastes good. It fortifies pregnant women and makes it possible to avoid minor illnesses. It is not used during cooking, it is sprinkled onto individual meals. This is how its taste and vitamins can be enjoyed”, explains a sales assistant in Bamako.
During the three months of the launch, more than 1.2 million packets of fortified spices were sold to consumers at 40 different markets in Bamako.
* The Meriem project is funded by Agence française de développement (AFD) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
