From Africa, With Love

You are in Africa. In ancient times known as “Alkebulan”, meaning “Mother of Mankind”, or “Garden of Eden”. Follow the farming women of Tabakoro, in Mali – and you’ll soon understand why.

 
 
 

Africa, the Cradle of Life


Dawn breaks over the village…The air is a perfect mix of the remnants of last night’s cooking and the sweetness of this morning’s dew. Life begins to stir. Another thunderstorm has come during the night, bringing with it a spectacular pyrotechnic display. Soon the villagers will head into the fields to pick the crops that the rain has watered…

Oumar Barou with farmers.png


The Seed of An Idea

Hi, I’m Oumar. I am a son of Mali – a son of Africa. My mother was a midwife and owned 5 bakeries. She knew a thing or two about people and about nutrition, and, being a daughter of the land, about the extraordinary properties of indigenous ingredients.

We are Farafena, (Africa if you’re using the local Bambara name for it). We are growers and producers of pure and healthy African whole foods that have been cultivated in Africa for millennia, and that are now making their way into the meals of families throughout North America.

Ours is an authentic African story, one that would’ve remained there were it not for the seed of an idea I had to connect communities across the planet with produce from my little corner of the world that had managed to sustain life and foster good health since… well, the beginning.


It is our vision to nourish the future of women and their communities, in Africa and around the world. And it is our mission is to provide healthy, nutrient-rich foods to our customers, who also a seek to be part of a community that has a positive impact.
— Oumar Barou Togola, Founder & Executive Chairman

 

our family

Farafena was founded in Vancouver BC, by Oumar Barou Togola and Dylan Beechey. The company is a committed to good food with purpose. Through social enterprise and direct trade, we invest in women farmers in Africa to grow and harvest the purest grains and fruits – so that we can bring delicious, nutrient-rich superfoods to your family, while building strong, healthy communities in Mali and Malawi.

 
 
 

What We've Achieved

  • Helping 850+ Malian women farmers gain access to global markets

  • Ability to pay smallholder farms 2x the going price for their products

  • Save farmers from walking 20km to sell their products by coming to them directly

  • 4250 people are directly impacted by our smallholder farmers