Ivorian Marie-AngeEhounouisa nutritionist, a state-certified early childhood educator and a mother of young children.
In 2018, she fed her baby boy Kylian withcommercially available foods. She thought she was doing the rightthing, and could never have imagined what was to come next.
"Hesufferedfrominfantmalnutritionandnearlydied," she told RFI.
It was then that she decidedto train as anutritionist, and finding there washighdemandfor information, as well as qualityproducts starteda blog on the subject, and a company producing flour.
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Pooyounow has 10 employees and works with almost 100 Ivorian female farmers producing more than 40,000tonnesof flour locally per year.
But despite the growth of her business, challenges remain.
"Especiallywhen it comes to finding funding," she explains. "Because for a start-up like mine, where the market is alreadyestablishedit'sreliable,viableand growing rapidly you need money right away to be able to boost the business."
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A marketworth 1 billion
LastSeptemberin Cotonou,Benin, Unicef launchedtheFirstFoodsAfricainitiative with one ofitsobjectives to support a local agro-industrydedicatedto high-qualitybabyfood.
"Wewant to engage local companies that areseekingto improve nutrition for young children. Once we haveidentifiedthis type of company, wefacilitateinvestment," explains MauroBrero, aUnicefnutrition specialist.
He cites the example of medium-sized companiesthat do not have easy access to financing because they cannot access microcredit, as they are too large for microcredit.
They also don't have access to "traditional financing from banks, because they cannot provide sufficient guarantees that's what we're targeting too, he adds.
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This sector also cannotmoveforwardwithoutsignificantpoliticalsupport.
"Weare working with governments to improve standards and regulatory policies, because it is important to have a political environment that isfavourableto local production and business and, at the same time, complies with the highest standards," explains Brero.
"Sometimesit'snoteasybecausewefaceverystronglobbyingfromcertain multinationalcompanies, butgovernmentscan move inthisdirection. Wehaveevidencethatinsomecountries,it'sworking."
Purchasing power and consumer awareness are driving an increasingly strong demand, with the market, valued at 600 million in 2022, expected to exceed 1 billion this year.
This article has been adapted from theoriginal versionin French by Charlotte Cosset.
Originally published on RFI
