By Mabinty M. Kamara in Bo
In a bid to reduce infant mortality resulting from malnutrition in children in Sierra Leone, the European Union has supported local producers of infant formulas made from home grown nutritious food items for a healthy outcome.
The Bennimix Company in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone which was establishment in the 1970s and popular for its production of home-grown infant formula known as Bennimix is among the producers supported by the project valued at EUR 500,000 to establish a sustainable business model and ensure International Standards of Operation (ISO 22000) that will enhance food safety and profit- making.
Speaking during a visit to the facility, the EU Ambassador in Sierra Leone Manuel Muller said private sector engagement in ensuring national development cannot be underestimated, describing the sector as “crucial for realizing Sierra Leone’s development objectives.”
Narrating the decades-old challenges of the company, Joseph Bahsoon the Chief Executive Director of the Bennimix Company pointed to competition with imported food formulas and a lack of the required support from other stakeholders as major challenges that over the years affected the growth of his business. The company currently has a staff base of 18 mostly Sierra Leonean women and men, according to the CEO.
He expressed appreciation for the EU being the first to support the company in revitalizing and scaling up its operation, emphasizing the importance of the company as a local producer of wholegrain processors devoid of chemical preservatives. Bahsoon highlighted the nutritional value of the infant formula for children from six months old.
Through the EU funded project, he said the daily production capacity which depends on demands from the Sierra Leonean market and that of neighboring countries such as Liberia and Guinea stand at two-two and a half metric tons approximately 120-150 metric tons annually. He said his company also engages farmers through training and outsourcing.
Another beneficiary from the project in the same value chain of Bennimix, Lucian Maria Mambu shared her inspiration for venturing into the production of infant formulas for commercial purposes regardless of the challenges of competition with imported manufactures. She said her journey started when she could not find any suitable food supplement for her child after trying several brands. She said she was finally able to formulate one that suits her child’s nutritional needs. “I also started helping neighbors and I realized that their children and mine were growing well. So, I decided to commercialize it, but it was difficult due to limited capital to get the equipment, especially the grinder and packaging. Not long after, I got the GIZ/EU support after a successful application.”
Ms. Mambu currently employs four youths at her factory in Bo and supplies her branded products which she said are rich in vitamins and minerals, essential carbohydrate, and immune boosters across Sierra Leone and neighboring countries
Unlike the Bennimix Company that uses home grown rice, sorghum and other local food items blended to produce Bennimix formula, Angelus Plantain Benny mix uses home grown plantain and other similar locally produced food items blended to produce her formula.
The project titled ‘Boosting Agriculture and Food Security’ (BAFS) aligns with the EU and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 targeting poverty reduction, food insecurity and livelihood development in Sierra Leone. It covers business development training for farmers, capacity building for Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security officials, agricultural research, crop and livestock production, value addition, and fostering agribusiness and innovation. Its lifespan is 2017 to 2025 and operates in all districts across the country.
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