Progress of the Soybean Milk processing technology project of Benin

8 April 2015. Cotonou, Benin. The project Re-engineered Soybean “Afitin” and Soybean Milk processing technologies in South and Central Benin (ProSAM) held in Steering Committee meeting.

The objective of this PAEPARD supported consortium is to increase the food security ( quality and productivity of products) and the
food security (quality and  and household income through improved food chain of soybean derived products (milk and afitin).

It has 4 main activities:

1. to draft an inventory of existing soybean processing technologies
2. to assess and document the nutritional value, safety and microbial composition , consumer preference of Soya Milk and Soya Afitin
3. develop and adapt Soya Milk and Soya Afitin processing technologies
4. improve the technologies, skills and knowledge and disseminate it to the consortium members and stakeholders

See full report (in French)

Partners of the consortium:

Association for the development of soybean in Benin (SOJAGNON-NGO). SOJAGNON is sensitising processors to get involved and participate to the re-engineering of soybean milk and soybean Afitin technologies. Therefore, soybean processors spread over the production areas are identified by SOJAGNON for the inventory of the traditional technology, express their constraints and approach of solutions, and be closely link-up to researchers to develop appropriate and improved technologies. SOJAGNON developed dissemination tools (flyers on soybean derived products, flyers on pleading procedures, illustrated technical sheets on soybean cheese traditional production) and builds on this experience to manage the dissemination of the outputs of the current project to stakeholders. 

Farmers Union Federation (FUPRO-Benin). one of FUPRO missions is to seek and provide for its members sustainable solutions for the production, processing and marketing of crops and animals products. Through this soybean value link project FUPRO has access to more efficient soybean processing technologies which it can disseminate to soybean processors.

University of Abomey-Calavi, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (UAC/FSA) Benin. The development of an improved technology for the production of Afitin from another leguminous grain, such as soybean, is the result of a high pressure on African locust bean supply market. It offers also an opportunity to diversify the production of this highly important commodity. Moreover, it opens a market for the valorisation of soybean which is increasingly produced in Benin. This exotic crop which is gaining importance in West Africa needs to integrate the daily food habits of Benin and West African consumers. The production of a good quality Afitin is a way to achieve such integration.

National Agricultural Research Institute (INRAB) Benin. The ProSAM project constitutes a good opportunity for the processors of soybean in the sense that the activities to implement within ProSAM permit to develop a better technology for a good quality soy milk production with acceptable yield. Moreover the output of the project help small processors to grow up to the level of micro - enterprise of production of soy milk through training and capacity building on improved technologies developed.

Wageningen University/Food Quality and Design (WU/FQD) the Netherlands. Though joint research had been done in the past on leguminous grain (cowpea) by WU/FQD and UAC/FSA, studying soybean food chain with an African perspective is a novel path to explore.  The ProSAM project offers to WU/FQD another possibility to spread its integrative approach (technological, economic and managerial factors) to optimise food quality throughout the food chain.

Tropical Research Institute [Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical] (IICT) Portugal. IICT has a history of collaborative research and knowledge transfer with mainly with African Portuguese Speaking Countries (Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique), with emphasis on i) food transformation and processing using culturally adapted and low input technologies, ii) food quality lab analyses, including for local products and iii) population surveys on food security and gender issues. Soybean is a novel crop to explore. This collaboration with Benin stands for a challenge and an opportunity to for networking in new partnerships.

Progress report of ProSAM to the Steering Committee