Partners in Food Solutions (PFS) has secured a five-year, $7.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to empower entrepreneurial food companies in East and West Africa. The grant aims to enhance local food processing capacity and promote rice fortification in Nigeria.
The grant will enable PFS, in collaboration with leading companies like General Mills and Cargill, to provide technical assistance and business expertise to food processors in Africa. Through employee volunteers, PFS will address food safety, quality, and business practices to help these companies thrive.
In West Africa, PFS will focus on improving the rice value chain to reduce reliance on imported rice and stimulate local growth. Additionally, a two-year rice fortification project will be piloted in Nigeria to combat micronutrient deficiency, especially in children.
In East Africa, PFS will support the horticultural value chain, emphasizing high-potential crops in five countries. Activities include enhancing processing methods for avocado in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, and supporting onion and Irish potato processors in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya respectively.
Jeff Dykstra, CEO of PFS, expressed optimism about the initiative’s potential to foster sustainable development, create jobs, and enhance food security in Africa. He underscored the significance of the grant in expanding PFS’s impact and business model globally.
