Rose-Marie Mingninou, a driven agricultural sciences graduate, was never content to follow a conventional path. Fueled by a passion for agribusiness and a bold vision to innovate and uplift her community, she set out to build something meaningful from the ground up. Her journey began modestly, selling imported goods to raise capital for her dream venture. But the turning point came when she joined the ENABLE-TAAT program at IITA-Benin—a transformative experience that offered more than just training. It provided hands-on incubation, expert technical guidance, and essential resources that helped her shape her vision into a viable enterprise.
With this foundation, Rose-Marie launched Orchie’s Business, a company dedicated to transforming locally grown fruits into fresh, natural juices. Her inventive recipes, spotlighting ingredients like baobab and pineapple, not only deliver healthful refreshment but also honor Benin’s rich agricultural traditions. Yet the road to success was far from smooth. Her first production run ended in heavy losses, a discouraging blow that might have halted a less resolute entrepreneur. But Rose-Marie’s resilience proved unwavering. She reassessed her strategy, refined her operations, and pressed forward with renewed clarity and determination.
Today, she is steadily carving out a space in the agro-processing industry, with ambitions to become a leading exporter of value-added agricultural products from Benin to the global market. Her work exemplifies the ingenuity and drive of Africa’s emerging agripreneurs, and her story underscores the transformative impact of programs like ENABLE-TAAT. By equipping young people with the tools to lead agricultural innovation, such initiatives are helping to build resilient food systems and unlock the continent’s vast potential. Rose-Marie’s journey is not just one of personal triumph—it’s a beacon for a new generation determined to redefine Africa’s agricultural future.