THOUGHT For Food (TFF), an International Organization which promotes food security across the Globe has increased visibility and market linkages for innovators and entrepreneurs in food and agricultural value chain.
By Patricia Mashiri
Speaking on the sidelines of the TFF challenge summit, Mr Cuthbeth Mukora, Regional Coordinator Thought For Food, Southern Central Africa Region said they are promoting innovations in agriculture, food and working with all stakeholders that are interested in the agricultural value chain.
We are joining the global community in having the global summit to celebrate the teams that managed to make it to the top 10 of the #tff challenge. The challenge was about how we can feed 9 billion people by 2050. We promote innovations that address that challenge, that offer solutions, innovations and prototypes that answer to the main question.
“We work with ambassadors across the world, and in Zimbabwe we have thirteen. Their role is to engage the community, entrepreneurs and innovators who are interested in food security and agricultural development. They bring those ideas to life. We engage with innovators in every part of the world and catalyze them to create new ideas and solutions,” Mr Mukora said.
Thought For Food provides connections to peers and experts as well as learning experiences that empower them with the mindsets skills.
Loreen Dube, the Managing Director, Greenstone Foods one of TFF partners said they have pledged to work with Thought For Food as they both are aiming at increasing food security and transforming lives.
“We aim to transform lives through the trade of organic and natural foods. We have been working with pineapple farmers in Chipinge who were hit by the cyclone. We have helped them to get organic certificates so that they can export their produce so as to get the value of their produce.
“We offer them access to markets, transport logistics and make sure they are paid for their produce. We are going to roll out sweet potato and blueberry contracts in the near future,” Dube said.
Meanwhile, Kuziva Chatukuta, Founder of Chatukuta Dried Foods from Murehwa, said he was linked to TFF by someone from Greenstone foods because they have the same product in the market.
“We started in 2016 and registered in 2017. TFF manages to network us as innovators. It’s an opportunity which came because we meet different people who have different networks across the globe. Through TFF, I believe I will be able to find funding for my project since the market is huge and we can’t match the demand. Most of the fruits tare distributed in where they require them in huge quantities. At one point we had a customer who needed 1,500 tons of fruits but our drying equipment produced at least 5.7kgs at one go.
“Currently we are facing challenges with machines that we are using to dry. We use solar equipment; the dryer is bigger but with the health requirements they need what they call separation of processes which avoids cross contamination so when you are drying chickens you have to wait for five days without drying other food stuff as vice versa,” Mr Chatukuta said.
The Food and Agriculture Organization notes that the world has not been generally progressing either towards ensuring access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people year round which is the sustainable development goal 2.1( to eradicate all forms of malnutrition).
