Integration of quality management and industrial metabolism while setting up small and medium agro-industries in Niger, West Africa

Abstract

Quality and environmental standards are not basically taken into account in the management culture of small and medium companies in sub-Saharan Africa. It is due to the “end of pipe” approach utilized by these management systems and the extra-charges involved in their implementation. In order to contribute to solving this problem in Niger we surveyed six small and medium agro-industries (SMAI), to study quality management performances and determine the flow of resources, bases of activities in these industries. The results showed different levels of economic performance: environment/site of establishment: 33–83%; requirements relating to the buildings: 14–43%; equipment and workspace: 0–45%; air supply, water and energy: 29–50%; waste disposal and sewage: 0–68%; suitable equipment: 24–85%; measurements of prevention of the cross contamination: 0–100%; pest control: 0–33%. The main resources used by the industrial system in 2013 are: 137 thousand tons of water, 32.4 thousand tons of live weight of animals, 150 tons of plastic caps, 133 tons of carbon dioxide, 122 tons of plastic films. Rejected waste is: 109 thousand tons of water, 1,116 tons of blood of animals, 9.8 thousand tons of contents of the rumen of the animals, 1,348 tons of plastic bottles. These levels of performance are not up to contributing to the competitiveness of these SMAIs. And we propose an approach centered on the implementation of the ISO 9001, the activities of the industrial metabolism study and the sensitization of the promoters of SMAIs on the sustainable development concepts.