Aqre looks to boost farmer income with environmentally-sound Stevia production
Aqre Group is working with a consortium of governments, organisations and universities to develop a 181-hectare outgrower scheme in Madagascar to produce environmentally-sound stevia, a natural and calorie-free sweetener.
A collaboration between the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Bionexx S.A./Aqre Group, Pôles Intégrés de Croissance et Corridors (PIC), HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Madagascar and Wageningen University, the outgrower project aims to create work and better income opportunities for approximately 1,000 smallholder farmers (in particular women and youth) in the northern part of Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar. The €2.3 million project will run through September 2024 and taps into 3 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries, namely: zero hunger (SDG 2), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
