Newswise — The Solae Company today announced its participation with Tetra Pak International in a Nigerian project aimed at reducing widespread childhood malnutrition and bolstering school attendance rates in the health-depressed West African nation. Almost half of primary school-age children in Nigeria are stunted from poor nutrition, and nearly one-fourth of the nation (7.3 million people) goes without a formal education.
In September, Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo officially launched a plan for giving free lunches to 2.5 million primary school children, thereby encouraging student attendance and facilitating effective learning.
Obasanjo's vision of better childhood nutrition is fast becoming reality in the central Nigerian state of Nassarawa, where Tetra Pak International convened a group of experts, including The Solae Company, to produce a fortified maize and soy drink that does not require refrigeration. The product is a complete meal high in protein and fortified with vitamins and minerals. Partners are currently modifying the recipe to include more local Nassarawa ingredients, and helping local companies take over production of the drink. State government authorities expect to distribute 50 million servings in 2006.
"Foreign country assistance in this area has traditionally been along the lines of food aid and cash donations," said Kobus De Klerk, Africa area director for The Solae Company. "To be an effective and sustainable project, local companies need to be involved to create financial development and local economy stimulation. We are working with Tetra Pak to improve the product and enable local merchants to successfully take over production in the near future."
The Nigerian initiative marks The Solae Company's second humanitarian-minded project in Africa this year. In September, the global soy protein manufacturer announced that it would help lead a new partnership to improve the nutritional value of foods offered in nine southern African countries, pledging to share its manufacturing expertise and scientific experience with more than 40 area food companies. That project " the Soy in Southern Africa Alliance " is expected to assist local businesses in better feeding their own communities.
"These types of projects give African countries a great chance to succeed on their own," said Kent Holt, director of government affairs for The Solae Company. "Instead of relying on outside food aid and hoping the situation will improve, we're sharing with African businesses our expertise in protein nutrition and application, ultimately helping them develop popular foods with improved nutrition."
In addition to The Solae Company, groups participating with Tetra Pak in the Nassarawa project include the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Foundation, Helen Keller International, the University of Toronto, the USAID Compass Project, Good Hope International and Crown Foods.
The Soy in Southern Africa Alliance is a two-year, public-private partnership led by the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) program, with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Alliance focuses on improving nutrition and creating sustainable economic development opportunities in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.
About The Solae Company
The Solae Company is a global innovator in the research and application of soy protein. It provides better ingredients for better living by partnering with food and beverage manufacturers, dietary supplement developers, retailers and consumers in 80 countries worldwide to create great tasting, healthier foods for consumers. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, the company was formed through an alliance between Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) and DuPont (NYSE: DD). For more information, visit http://www.solae.com.
Editor's Note:
The Nassarawa drink is processed using an ultra high temperature technology and then put in an aseptic package. This makes it possible to store and distribute liquids at ambient temperature unopened for up to 12 months.
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