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Sunday Life Reporter
AN organisation that seeks to champion the production and consumption of African foods has been formed.
Going by the name African Food Revolution, the organisation seeks to be the solution to any problem related to food production in Africa, to be the first port of call for issues regarding food laws and food safety, to and ensure smooth and easy networking among various stakeholders.
One of the members, Prince Sivalo Mahlangu said African Food Revolution (AFR) provides expertise and market analysis of the African food sector.
“We pride ourselves in identifying critical areas of food production in Africa. At AFR we concentrate mainly on three pillars which are indigenous food harvesting and management, animal production and crop production systems. We provide practical solutions from market insights, new product development, food laws and safety and insights into regional and international markets,” he said.
AFR was founded in 2017 in Ancona, Italy by three individuals Makhosi Mahlangu (Zimbabwe), Andrea Torresi (Italy) and Ahmed Altaher (Sudan).
“Currently not less than 14 science, engineering and economics graduate students are involved in the AFR team. The group consists of eight food scientists.
As AFR we intend to disruptively increase food production on the African continent, through amplifying short farm to folk enterprises rather than Multi-National Companies and Large Co-operatives using locally sourced ingredients. Our vision is the feed Africa.
“Our mission is to use scientific, technological and human determinism to amplify small-medium food production units in Africa through sustainable production systems from the Farm to the Folk. We want to be the solution to any problem related to food production in Africa and to be the first port of call for issues regarding food laws and food safety.
“As African Food Revolution we use UBUNTU as part of the teams’ core values. We define UBUNTU into survival, solidarity spirit, compassion and respect. Survival speaks to the performance and survival of AFR which depends on the individual team numbers who through their knowledge, skills and abilities ensure that AFR maintains high levels of productivity and effectiveness.
The team members rely on each other to ensure that personal goals are sacrificed for the goals of the team.
“On Solidarity spirit, we value working on tasks as a team as we firmly believe that the African food problem can only be solved by Africans. By working as different nationals with a common goal, helps us embrace a spirit of unison on a common enemy which is hunger. And on compassion, we believe it has made Africans survive in difficult times. Compassion in AFR helps us create a shared vision.
We firmly believe that all humans are interconnected. The shared vision ensures that all our team members belong in a gastronomic social network with common goals and objectives. We also understand that lack of respect and dignity leads to unobtainable goals,” said Mahlangu.
He said they will work on local and traditional food product development and marketing, scientific research on indigenous and traditional African foods, indigenous animal husbandry and welfare, novel food production, insect marketing and recipe development, product development, developing and modifying African food laws and food safety regulations, career guidance for students, small farmer training, equipment testing and suggesting suitable equipment for food producers and market analysis using artificial intelligence. Regression models and exchange rate models. The organisation is also involved in research and development as well as rural entrepreneurship.
Online Reporter