Promoting safe vegetables in Mali: Origin labelling builds consumer trust 

– 29 April 2026 –

Vegetable production in the peri-urban areas of Bamako, Mali, takes place under different conditions and in different ways. Farmers use different sources of water and apply a range of inputs, including agrochemicals, to protect their crops. These can all affect the safe production of vegetables, influencing consumer perceptions and demand.

Against this backdrop, the SafeVeg project organized stakeholder meetings in Samanko, on the outskirts of the city. Bringing together farmers, processors, nutritionists, retailers and consumer associations, it aimed to identify challenges to the safe production and commercialization of vegetables.

Food safety emerged as the main concern. Researchers also noted that consumers perceive some vegetable production as safer than others, owing to better agricultural practices and cleaner irrigation water. Surveys in other peri-urban areas revealed similar findings.

Stakeholders in Samanko identified origin labelling as the highest-priority intervention. By showing where vegetables come from, it aims to reassure consumers and build trust in their safety.

With this in mind, the team got to work with a simple labelling experiment in the Samanko and Medina-Coura wet markets (traditional fresh food markets). Samanko was of particular interest as a vegetable-producing area, with a cooperative of more than 300 men and women growers produce lettuce, cabbage, turnip, carrot, cucumber, and more. The area supplies vegetables to several wet markets in Bamako, with women vendors the main customers.

The experiment was implemented in three phases, and the design evolved based on vendor feedback and consumer responses.

In the pilot phase, two women vendors received branded stall kits, including labels, an umbrella, and white-and-green clothing. The materials displayed the slogan, “Safe vegetables from Samanko,” (Nakofin Sanuman Ka Bo Samanko, in the local language). However, vendors noted that customers’ responses were not as strong as expected.

The approach was subsequently adapted. The SafeVeg team engaged a local laboratory to test the vegetables for heavy metals and pesticide residues, with results confirming that levels were within accepted limits, and in line with international guidelines. Vendors then displayed certificates showing these results.

Together with other changes, such as vendors’ use of recorded voice messages played through solar-powered devices, this led to marked improvements in consumer confidence. Vegetable sales increased, over 60% of first-time buyers reported trusting the messages, and more vendors expressed interest in joining the scheme.

The team further refined the approach, aiming to balance boosting consumer trust with the convenience of the labelling kits. It is also now working to bring more vendors into the scheme. Labelling kits are given to Samanko vegetable vendors approved by eligible local cooperatives, which are checked via Nacofin Sanuman (a platform led and facilitated by SafeVeg) to ensure their farmers meet safe production standards.

These changes suggest that in Samanko, trust in vegetables is becoming part of the product.

Story by: Amadou Sidibé, Elisabeth Obeng, Harriette Snoek, Ireen Raaijmakers, Bart de Steenhuijsen Piters.

Lead image created using AI.

This work was undertaken as part of Work Package 2 (WP2) of the SafeVeg project, which aims to increase the consumption of safe, nutritious vegetables by making them more trusted, acceptable, and accessible to consumers. WP2 is led by Wageningen University & Research and implemented with national research partners, consumer organisations, and private-sector actors across the supply chain in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. SafeVeg is led by WorldVeg, and carried out with funding from the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.