During the week of December 4^th the ASA’s WISHH Regional Director of Africa Josh Neiderman traveled to Senegal for meetings with market development partners.  Alongside the WISHH West Africa Representative Mamadou Bousso, Mr. Neiderman met with multiple stakeholders that participated in the USDA funded Global Based Initiative (GBI) conference, held in September, in order to follow up on new market development activities. Neiderman and Bousso visited multiple GBI attendees, including representatives from the Institute of Food Technology (ITA), USDA/FAS, the Senegal School Feeding Program, Counterpart International, and the food company Patisen.

ITA is a food research and business incubation group based in Dakar, Senegal. WISHH has been working with them to develop their technical capabilities for incorporating soy ingredients into local foods. In November WISHH sent soy foods technology consultant Suresh Itapu to train ITA representatives on the use of soy in blended cereals, beverages, and baked goods (pictured).

Additionally, visits were made to multiple feed producers that will be involved in the upcoming poultry and aquaculture feeding trials, sponsored through USDA’s Emerging Markets Program (EMP). Animal feed value chain partners Avisen, NMA Sanders, GMD, Sedima, IPAS and the National Aquaculture Agency were visited to discuss their interest in importing U.S. soybean meal.

Photo Caption: Suresh Itapu works with Senegalese bakers from ITA on how to adapt their recipes to include varying amounts of defatted soy flour. Neiderman and Bousso met with ITA representatives to identify the next steps in this market development activity.