Re-Investment for Partners in Food Solutions
I have blogged in the past about a sustainable business model as the long term answer to solving food issues around the world. Progress continues to be made on this front. An organization that is focused on this cause is Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), which was founded by General Mills, to provide no cost technical and business support to food processors in Africa. Recently the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced additional funds for the PFS efforts in Africa. Ken Powell, the CEO of General Mills spoke at the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa. He said, “This new support from USAID will move us closer to our goal of helping more than 500 Africa-based food processors. Hundreds of thousands of farmers will benefit…”
It is great to see smart investments such as this focused on helping businesses producing food and feed. These businesses then create jobs and also are an outlet for the small holder farmers to sell their crops locally. Now, we have that economic engine to feed people and help people in the area out of poverty and hunger.
As you may know, Insta-Pro International is one of those company partners supporting PFS. Our role is to provide Extrusion Technology and Support to General Mills, PFS and the local processors. In fact, our team just got back from Malawi on a joint training effort with the PFS team to improve processing techniques on Corn-Soy-Blend production. While PFS staff is donating their time and effort, we admittedly have business reasons to be there, which is to sell equipment or parts. But companies like ours are also working to make these processors more successful. The business solutions they are providing are sustainable for the long term. I applaud all companies looking at the food security issue and finding innovative solutions to help the people in these areas help themselves.
I also applaud government agencies such as USAID, non-government organizations and investors focused on supporting these efforts to build businesses in the poverty and hunger stricken regions. The business people we meet in these areas are experienced, educated and are ready to go. They just need a helping hand and not necessarily a hand out.
