Welcome to AHBAN International
Discover the Richness of Sierra Leone!
About Us
AHBAN is the only indigenous-owned company exporting cocoa and coffee beans. This matters to us, Sierra Leone is our home and our trading practices ensure that the farmers get a much greater proportion of the value of their produce, effecting a shift in the market in favor of rural communities. Our model emphasizes local governance and management of produce supported by expert advice on improving the quality of farm management and the value of crops.
Our main facility, AHBAN Estate, is an 8-acre property located in Baiwalla, Kailahun District, and houses the company offices, storage facilities, and a residential section for company management.
SOURCING STANDARDS
AHBAN has the largest certified organic smallholder cocoa and coffee programs in Sierra Leone. Launched in 2010, AHBAN has applied a bottom-up cooperation model, working directly with smallholder farmers to ensure fair prices are paid to the farmers and to improve the quality of cocoa and coffee, and the farmers’ quality of life. This farmer-centric, village-to-port approach guarantees full traceability for every bag of cocoa sold by the 20,000 farmers participating, giving consumers security in knowing this cocoa has been produced sustainably and responsibly.
Participating farmers are offered training on good agricultural practices and proper post-harvest management techniques to produce good-quality cocoa and coffee. Training also addresses labor practices, health and safety, environmental protection, and other sustainability topics. AHBAN Cocoa and Coffee is certified by The Rainforest Alliance and UTZ. AHBAN believes in transparency in all aspects of the supply chain and does so by partnering with farmers and farm groups who not only foster best practices environmentally and socially but also redefine those principles.
Cocoa production in West Africa is often linked to deforestation. As cocoa is becoming an increasingly important source of income in Sierra Leone, there may be an incentive to clear plots of rainforest to establish new plantations. Agroforestry has the potential to stop deforestation and can spark reforestation. Cocoa plantations that apply regenerative agroforestry boost biodiversity and store significant amounts of carbon in trees and in the soil. AHBAN is engaged in an extensive agroforestry program with our cocoa farmers in Sierra Leone.
In addition to providing training in good agricultural practices, technical advice, and
supplies, AHBAN has supplied more than 1,000,000 cocoa seedlings to farmers. In addition, some 10,000 shade trees and more than 136,000 banana and orange trees were planted as part of a project to increase biodiversity on the farms. Organic tree crops such as cocoa and coffee positively contribute towards reversing the effects of climate change and CO2 exhaustion.
Ahmed Kailondo Banya
FOUNDER AND CEO
Origin:
Born and raised in Sierra Leone. Founded AHBAN International to improve the lives of cocoa and coffee farmers in Sierra Leone.
Expertise:
Resident cocoa and coffee wizard. Responsible for all things sourcing and logistics at AHBAN, as well as the benign administrative and janitorial tasks associated with small business.
Fun:
Addicted to the sweet and tart taste of the cacao fruit. Also snacks more cocoa beans than what the company exports.
