The verdict in three sentences
For an export cooperative, the website is first a proof file that the European buyer checks before placing any order. A budget of 3,000,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA (2026 market estimate, about 4,570 to 8,380 EUR) covers a bilingual FR/EN site, lot sheets with certificates and a traceability module aligned with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The realistic timeline is 7 weeks, provided the cooperative supplies its plot data in week one.
What the European buyer checks before signing
Cashew importers in Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Hamburg receive dozens of offers from Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Benin. Their procurement team opens the cooperative's website to check three things: that the organisation really exists, the quality of the lots (KOR, moisture rate, nut count per kilo) and EUDR compliance. Since the regulation started applying to large operators, the importer must be able to link each lot to geolocated plots and prove there was no deforestation after 31 December 2020.
A standard brochure site is therefore not enough. You need a searchable lot database, up-to-date documents and an English version written by a professional, not a machine translation.
| What the buyer expects | Concrete content on the site | Budget impact (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative identity | Registration, number of members, production areas, field photos | 300,000 to 500,000 FCFA (copywriting + photo shoot) |
| Lot sheets | Season, volume in tonnes, KOR, moisture, nut count | 800,000 to 1,400,000 FCFA (custom module) |
| Certificates | Phytosanitary, origin, lab tests, organic or fair trade certification | 200,000 to 400,000 FCFA (document area) |
| EUDR data | GPS polygons of plots, GeoJSON export | 900,000 to 1,800,000 FCFA (map + export) |
| English version | Professional translation and proofreading | 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA |
| Offer form | Sample request, volume, preferred incoterm | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA |
Three project levels for a Guinean cooperative
The 3,000,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA range covers very different scopes. The choice depends mostly on exported volume and on how demanding the target buyers are.
| Level | Scope | 2026 market budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 8-page FR/EN site, 10 lot sheets entered manually, PDF certificates | 3,000,000 to 3,600,000 FCFA | 5 weeks |
| Export | Manageable lot database, filters by season, map of areas, sample form | 3,800,000 to 4,600,000 FCFA | 7 weeks |
| EUDR compliance | Import of GPS polygons, GeoJSON export per lot, password-protected buyer access | 4,800,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA | 8 to 9 weeks |
| Hosting and domain | Server in Europe for speed on the buyer side, SSL certificate | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA per year | Included at launch |
| Maintenance | Updates, backups, adding next season's lots | 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month | Ongoing |
For maintenance, Kolonell's plans are 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (about 50, 110 or 180 EUR) depending on the level of follow-up. For a cooperative publishing 15 to 30 lots per season, the middle plan is usually enough.
The 7-week schedule, week by week
The timeline depends less on development than on data collection. Plot GPS polygons are often scattered across technicians' field surveys, Excel files and mobile mapping apps.
| Week | Deliverable | Owner on the cooperative side |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scoping workshop, list of lots, collection of certificates | President and quality manager |
| 2 | FR mockups, site map, lot sheet template | Board approval |
| 3 | Copywriting and photo shoot in the Boké or Kindia areas | Communications officer |
| 4 | Development of the lot module and document area | None |
| 5 | Import of GPS data and consistency checks | Field technician |
| 6 | English translation, review by a partner buyer | Sales manager |
| 7 | Testing, go-live, training of two administrators | Board |
One point of caution: growers' geolocation data is personal data. Guinea's law on cybersecurity and data protection requires limiting public access. Best practice is to publish a map aggregated by area and to keep precise polygons in a protected buyer area.
Mini case study
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Mamadou, president of a fictional cooperative of 2,000 cashew growers near Boké, exports 1,200 tonnes per season through middlemen. He wants to sell directly to two Dutch importers, which would recover about 40 FCFA per kilo of middleman margin.
Calculation: 1,200 tonnes × 40 FCFA = 48,000,000 FCFA of recovered margin if the entire crop moves to direct sales. Cautious assumption: only 25% of the crop sold directly in year one, i.e. 300 tonnes and 12,000,000 FCFA. The Export-level site costs 4,200,000 FCFA, plus 75,000 FCFA per month of maintenance, i.e. 900,000 FCFA over a year. Total investment: 5,100,000 FCFA, covered once about 128 tonnes are sold directly.
FAQ
Is the website enough to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation?
No, compliance relies on collecting GPS polygons for each plot and on the importer's due diligence statement. The website makes data transfer easier, with a GeoJSON export that saves the buyer several days per lot.
Do we really need an English version?
Yes, more than 80% of Dutch and German importers work in English with their African suppliers. A professional translation costs 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA for 8 to 12 pages, a small amount compared with a single 50-tonne contract.
How much time must the cooperative devote to the project?
Count on about 3 working days for the quality manager and 2 days for the president over the 7 weeks. Week 5, dedicated to GPS data, is the most demanding.
Does the site work on a slow connection?
A well-built site loads in under 3 seconds on 3G, so board members can update it from Conakry or from the field. Each PDF certificate should stay under 2 MB.
Can we add next season's lots without a provider?
Yes, with a manageable module, adding a lot takes 10 to 15 minutes. Two administrators trained in week 7 are enough for a cooperative publishing 20 to 30 lots a year.
Let's scope your project. Send us your exported volume, available certificates and target buyers: we will define the scope, budget and a 7-week schedule matched to your season. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
