Sudan: SABMiller to purchase local farmers’ cassava for its Sudan lager beer

Global brewer SABMiller says it will offer 'significant' long term sourcing opportunities for 2,000 smallholder farmers in Sudan, Supply Management Redactive Media Group reported on July, 8.

According to the company’s latest sustainability report, it will purchase supplies of the woody shrub cassava from smallholder farmers located near its south Sudan brewery. The cassava will be used to brew the company’s Sudan brand of lager White Bull.

The sourcing plan was launched in 2010 after the company received $1 million (£626,199) from the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund to boost local sourcing. Run in partnership between SABMiller subsidiary Southern Sudan Beverages and NGO Farm-Africa the programme is being developed with 2,000 smallholder farmers.

Around 28,000 local farmers supply SABMiller. The company spent $41 million (£25.6 million) through its community investment programme during 2010.

In a joint statement about the report, Dambisa Moyo, chairman of the corporate accountability and risk assurance committee of the board, and chief executive Graham Mackay, said: “SABMiller is well placed to drive growth and deliver improved livelihoods for the millions of people that benefit from our value chains across the world.”

08 July, 2011