Setting up RUTF Production Facility in Africa - Questions

Hi
Last year the CMAM Forum (www.cmamforum.org) commissioned a technical brief on the subject of “local” production. This includes case studies from Valid Nutrition in Malawi and Samil Industrial Co in Sudan and may provide some useful background information. It was extensively reviewed by a number of actors involved in production as listed in the acknowledgements so hopefully incorporates different information sources and viewpoints. The technical brief is available in English and French and a brief summary and links are listed below.
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Duclercq M. Production of Ready-to-Use Food (RUF): an overview of the steps and challenges involved in the “local” production of RUF. CMAM Forum Technical Brief Dec 2014.
http://www.cmamforum.org/Pool/Resources/Local-production-RUF-Overview-steps-and-challenges-CMAM-Forum-Dec-2014.pdf
This technical brief provides an overview of “local production of Ready-to-Use Food (RUF),” where "local" is taken to refer to the manufacturing of RUF in the country or region where it will be used. It is divided into three sections: section 1 seeks to provide an overview of the steps involved in production of RUF and quality requirements producers must meet in order to supply product for use in services for treating or preventing acute malnutrition. Section 2 discusses the identified constraints influencing quality and price, and raises questions about the sustainability of the model of local RUF production as it currently stands. Section 3 includes case studies of common challenges experienced by local producers to complement the first two sections.
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Duclercq M. Production des aliments prêts à l’emploi (APE) : un aperçu des étapes de leur production « locale » et des défis à relever. Dossier technique du Forum PCMA, déc 2014.
http://fr.cmamforum.org/Pool/Resources/Production-locale-des-APE-aperçu-et-défis-Forum-PCMA-déc-2014.pdf
Ce dossier technique propose un aperçu de la « production locale des aliments prêts à l’emploi (APE) », l’adjectif « local » se référant à la fabrication des APE dans le pays ou la région où ils seront utilisés. Il se compose de trois sections : la première présente un aperçu des étapes de la production des APE et des exigences de qualité auxquelles les producteurs doivent se conformer s’ils veulent que les produits qu’ils fournissent puissent être utilisés dans le cadre de services de traitement ou de prévention de la malnutrition. La deuxième section traite des contraintes identifiées qui influent sur la qualité et les prix, et soulève des questions concernant la durabilité du modèle de production locale d’APE sous sa forme actuelle. Dans la troisième section, des études de cas portant sur les défis auxquels se heurtent fréquemment les producteurs viennent compléter les deux premières sections.

Hi. Kenya is one of the best destination countries to set such a projects. There are already a company in Thika Nairobi working on same project RUFT and it is working well.

Dear friends, make sure that any local/national/regional RUTF-production applies a HACCP-protocol for a safety and quality management. (http://www.fao.org/docrep/w8088e/w8088e05.htm)

Project Peanut Butter has 3 factories producing RUTF and RUSF in Africa (Sierra Leone, Malawi & Ghana). We're happy to share our experiences and collaborate as we have with numerous small-scale projects globally.

Mr Chauhan,

I wonder how far you've gone in regards local production of RUTF.

I might have a lead for you.

Ada Edozie

Please communicate with me through handsorg1@hotmail.com to availability of raw materials and access to imported ingredients. Advice

Dear Anand,

Coincidentally, my partner and I were doing research on exactly the same topic as you -- setting up an RUTF production facility in Africa -- (albeit about 2 years after you posted your question here.) In fact, it is while doing the research that I ended up on this site.

I would say I have learned a lot already... The reply by Alison Fleet, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, was quite the eye opener for me... Very sobering.

I was just wondering, do you mind sharing what has happened with your plans, since your last post dated 15 Oct 2016? Did you get to the implementation stage yet?

Also, I took note of your comment that, "We are still seeking local partners who can assist us in operations."

If you do not mind, and if you are still pursuing this project, perhaps we could discuss "offline", (outside of this open ENN forum), to see if there is any way our interest in this area might intersect?

Regards

David B

Dear Anand,

Thank you for your very timely response. I will certainly be contacting you offline. And thanks to all other participants on this ENN forum; I have found all your comments very helpful.

Anand, and others on this forum, very briefly and at a very high level, my background and areas of special interest to me:

I have now lived in the US for about 20 years, and I am quite as settled here as anyone can be. However, I have always maintained connections to my native Kenya. But most certainly, I have no complaints about my life in the US. In fact, quite the contrary.

My professional training and employment here has been in accounting and the related fields of financial reporting, management accounting and even financial systems analysis. Experiencing first-hand how things work in the US corporate environment has been invaluable, literally. That said, I have watched and followed closely in amazement as Africa is getting transformed at an unbelievable pace, especially in the last 15 years or so.

For example, my native Kenya is now almost a completely different country than the one we left behind about 20 years ago. But going hand in hand with my following (and fully embracing) the Africa Rising narrative, has been my acute awareness of the many challenges that face us.

My contrasting Africa's challenges with my experience and knowledge of life in the US has heightened my awareness of the tremendous opportunities in Africa... Opportunities to help address / solve some / any of those challenges. And in so doing create employment and other opportunities for people there. That is why I have been in a period of mental / mind-set transition, so to speak, for the last 2 years or so.

(Oh, but just for clarity, I am not just talking about Africa just from over 7000 flight-miles away, I relish visiting Kenya every one or two years. I have cultivated and today maintain strong relationships with some energetic, visionary people there... potential partners in future endeavors.)

The issue of food security / food production, and related basic Agro processing and marketing, are the areas of my core interest.

Side point: It was while researching these issues that I was shocked to learn of the sheer quantity of peanuts produced and consumed, across the board, in the US! But don't believe me, google it for yourself. When I contrast this with the somewhat prevalent view in Kenay that peanuts are "the poor man's snack food", (man as in person), I realize just how much the greater part of Africa's challenges are to do with Education. Not academic or book education, but citizenry awareness of many issues.

I could go on and on... My apologies for this too-long post. Anand, my email is dbachia@hotmail.com. I will certainly be in touch. Your experience with peanuts processing is right up my alley!

To others, for anybody for whom my post strikes a cord, and especially if you are already doing or are planning to do something related in Kenya, I would really appreciate any helpful comments.

Thank you all for enduring this here my rant! Sometimes I am like that... Other times even worse!

Best regards to all,

David B

Hello,
I met several people, including entrepreneurs in Chad who would like to start a local production of RUTF. If you are interested in a partnership with local entrepreneurs I can help you in that way.
Regards,

Dear Anand,

I ended up in this website since I am researching what you have done in the past but for Southeast Asia Region. is there a way I could contact you?

Best Regards,

AO

Dear colleagues, let me put some water into the wine of sustainable RUTF-production and marketing in Africa.

RUTF is a essential and valuable product for emergency and relief settings. Where you deal with 'normal' malnutrition you may check if using RUTF is feasible and sustainable in the local and regional environment. The essential steps in successfull managing SAM is first to ensure survival in the first days and second to enable families to feed their children achieving and maintaining a normal nutritional status with the family's diet. Both steps in the successfull management of SAM are challenging, but are not impacted by RUTF.

When families have access to food dietary advice may directly go from F-100 or F-135 to - nutritious and easy to consume and to digest - family foods supplemented with electrolyte mineral solution according to WHO-guideline. More emphasis on this transition to family food may be more adequate and sustainable than producing and marketing RUTF. This is, what is called food souvereignty. And the utilization of locally grown foods also strengthens food security and farmer's income generation. 

Hi Ambarka & Alijandro,

Greetings!

Would be happy to know if you are looking for RUTF manufacturing facility new setup in different location. I can help you in setting up the facilities.

Thank you.

We would like to setting up RUTF plant in Gujarat, India, for that we are looking for RUTF project consultant,

For this we would like to know for your end how we can collaborate to each other, 

If you need ant further information from our end then you can contact us.

Thanks,

Ravi Patel,

Hi Ravi

Please share your contact number to discuss the same in detail. 

Thank you, Vimal 

Thank you vimal for contact, 

Kindly f ind below mention contact detaisl,

Ravi Patel :

Mo.: +91 9712619800

Email id : ravi@bluebellexim.com

Thanks,

We are a global company and having experience to supply packaging for RUTF. Please connect us for the same vishal.thakkar@cflex.com   

I am not sure if Arnand who initiated Setting up Ready to Use Food Production Facility in Africa has concluded plans on the country of choice in Africa for the project.
Perhaps he or anyone is interested in setting a food industy in Nigeria, I may be of help. We could also collaborate on other projects such as research works or actionable plan on the food system as the case may be.

We have only 5 years to meet goals set on Global Nutrition Target, but looking at the trend, we are far from meeting the goals. 
Today, one in every nine people in the world is hungry, and one in every three is overweight or obese. More and more countries experience the double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition coexists with overweight, obesity and other diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The trend is clear: progress is too slow to meet the global targets. Not one country is on course to meet all ten of the 2025 global nutrition targets and just 8 of 194 countries are on track to meet four targets. Almost a quarter of all children under 5 years of age are stunted. At the same time, overweight and obesity are increasing rapidly in nearly every country in the world, with no signs of slowing. Progress on malnutrition is not just too slow, it is also deeply unfair. New analysis shows that global and national patterns mask significant inequalities within countries and populations, with the most vulnerable groups being most affected. Nutrition outcomes also vary substantially across countries. Underweight is a persisting issue for the poorest countries and can be ten times higher than in wealthier countries. Overweight and obesity prevail in wealthier countries at rates of up to five times higher than in poorer countries. 

There is no time left behind, now is the time to take action on equity to end malnutrition through sustainable food systems.

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Hello,

I ended up here as I was searching about the ready to use therapeutic foods producing countries in Africa.I am doing my research on producing these foods in Uganda.This could be a great opportunity for us because I realise there is one local industry for that.

Every ones post up has been helpful and I would be glad to receive more guidance. 

acngwiredenniz@gmail.com is my email address. 

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your contribution on this platform. Its amazing

There is a big hospital I am consulting for and recently they said they they want to send four of their staff outside the country to an existing  company that is in RUTF production so that they will be trained on how to produce RUTF foods (solid and semi solid). On return, the hospital will acquire the complete machineand start up the production. So, I need who can help to connect us to such company either in Asia, Europe or Africa.

I hope to hear from you (snickkers24@yahoo.com)

Thanks 

We are interested in new RUTF facility in Yemen, can anyone help in technical side?

Hello Abdullah Mohsin,

I work for Project Peanut Butter and we produce RUTF in several sub-Saharan African nations. I would be happy to help you with any technical questions you may have. Please contact me at paulfilipkowski@gmail.com. You can also read about our organization at projectpeanutbutter.org. I look forward to speaking with you.

Hello 

Please note these guidelines by Codex Alimentarius and especially the preamble who explain the context!

Guidelines for ready-to-use therapeutic foods. Codex Alimentarius Guideline No. CXG 95-2022. Codex Alimentarius FAO, WHO. 2022.

Commission. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4593en

https://www.fao.org/3/cc4593en/cc4593en.pdf

The Codex-guideline is a valuable tool and of great importance for commerically traded RUTF. For small scale local production the preamble states: '...(RUTF) is a WHO recommended option for the dietary management of children aged from 6 to 59 months with SAM without medical complications. However, this does not preclude other dietary options including the use of locally-based foods.'

Therefore, besides meeting nutrient and energy requirements of the child with SAM food safety is most important in order to do no harm. Don't get discouraged from all the food and nutrient standards in the guideline and from the amount of money needed to get your product analyzed for the content of all nutrients and the lack of contaminations - as long as you don't produce for profit and on a larger scale.

The guidelines clearly says: RUTF is not for general retail sale.

Hi Abdullah,

Reach JAM - joint aid management. They have opened, temporarily, a facture in Mozambique. They are best suited to tell you, from their experience, what works and how you can overcome potential obstacles.

Regards,

Hi Abdullah

I have extensive experience working with JAM - Joint Aid Management.  I will be able to assist on issues raised by Tamara Ramos. You can reach me on the following skype address; james.majaha

Regards