BIOTAN-SMETA - Support towards SMETA certification of a cashew nut processor in Tanzania
Context & Main Goals
BIOTAN GROUP LIMITED is an organic cashew nut processor located in Kisemvule (Pwani region, South of Dar es Salaam), Tanzania. The company sources over 2’000 tons/year of organic raw cashew nuts (RCN) from small farmers in the coastal region and processes it. Its new factory, opened in 2024, has a yearly capacity of 5'000 tons RCN. It provides employment to nearly 340 people (of which 310 seasonal production workers), mainly ladies.
Since its start, Biotan aims to achieve a high level of CSR requirements, whether environmentally speaking (organic agriculture) or in terms of staff and supplying farmers well-being. SMETA certification is a widely recognized social audit methodology developed by Sedex that assesses a company's labour standards, health and safety, environmental practices, and ethical business conduct within the supply chain, promoting transparency and responsible sourcing: in order to give a robust framework to its commitments, Biotan wants to get SMETA-certified in a near future, and requested support from a SMETA expert.
Along with the SMETA certification preparation, Biotan wants to develop a better understanding of its staff living conditions. The aim is to assess the gap with decent living conditions, useful to feed Biotan’s orientations in terms of salary & advantages policy.
This study is conducted in the framework of FEFISOL-SIDI technical support to Biotan in terms of technical assistance.
Specific objectives
SO1. Assess Biotan compliance to the SMETA pillars « 1. labour standards » and « 2. health & safety » and provide a road map to fill in the gap with SMETA requirements
SO2. Conduct a living wage estimation, based on the Anker methodology, assessing the monthly cost of a basic yet decent living in the living areas of Biotan staff. Compare the monthly living wage with actual staff salaries and provide insights on how to fill in the gap
Related people
Anne Meyer
Agroeconomist graduated from the Institut des Régions Chaudes (IRC) of the Institut Agro Montpellier and from EM LYON (MSc Management), she has been passionate about tropical agricultural value chains for more than twenty years. She has put her skills at the service of NGOs and cooperatives, but also of the FAO and the organic agri-food industry (Ecotone group). She joined the Nitidæ studies department in March 2024.