In the first half of 2005 Plenty staff and volunteers have worked on-site with each of the CAFSI partners. In Huejuquilla, Mexico our friends at the Huichol Center are continuing to conduct soybean seed variety trials for future distribution to farming families. We’re working together to conduct food processing and nutrition education workshops with families living in rural, economically depressed villages. The Huichol Center has set up a soy food processing operation and staff members are now learning the art of making and including fresh soy foods, including milk, cheese/tofu, ice cream, flour and the okara (the soy pulp by-product from making soymilk) into favorite traditional dishes. Four Plenty representatives have worked on-site with the Huichol people since December of last year. One or more technicians will return in the summer and fall of this year to help our partners make equipment improvements, and continue their soy food processing and nutrition education activities. Onaway Trust and the AMB Foundation have made financial contributions to help the Huichol Center launch this program.

Solola store front

ADIBE, at the Mayan village of Molino Belen near Solola, Guatemala, is working to increase sales of their products within communities that are much closer to their home base. They have set up two small retail outlets, in Panahachel and the town of Solola, to increase visibility and access to their milk, tofu (soy cheese), ice cream and pinole (corn-soy drink mix) products. ADIBE is cooperating with the San Bartolo primary school to ensure undernourished students receive a nutritious mid-day meal. Plenty staff worked with ADIBE administrators and soy food processors over six days at the end of April and beginning of May. It was agreed that a Plenty representative will return for two more months this year to help staff upgrade refrigeration equipment, review quality control procedures, improve recipes for milk, pinole and ice cream products, and advance their marketing capabilities.

In Guatemala City Plenty technicians worked with the women’s cooperative of UPAVIM during this past spring to install soybean grinding, extracting and refrigeration equipment, begin product development activities and learn methods of controlling the quality of foods they will be making. Eight women participated in the six soy food processing workshops that were completed, using the new equipment. Members of UPAVIM have decided to name their new small food business, UPASOY! Foods produced at UPASOY will be sold to the public and used to provide high nutrient mid-day meals to the more than 200 children attending preschool and elementary classes at the UPAVIM-managed school. Plenty representatives will return to Guatemala City in July-August and then some time during the final quarter of this year to install other small equipment and help local staff continue advancing the skills they will need to successfully operate their small enterprise. Rotarian Clubs in Colorado and California, and the Palmer Foundation have provided financial resources to help UPAVIM establish its soy food processing activities.

In Managua, Nicaragua Soynica has become widely known for its work with mothers and children and for promoting use of locally produced soy foods to help address nutrition and economic development issues. During March and April of this year Plenty representatives worked for five weeks helping staff managing Casa Nutrem (Soynica’s food processing facility) to purchase, install and learn to use new cooking, packaging and refrigeration equipment. Technicians and staff also worked together to resolve air circulation problems in the processing rooms, improve milk recipes and develop ice cream recipes. Casa Nutrem provides discounted high nutrient corn-soy drinks, mixes and other foods for nutrition supplementation programs managed by Red Cross, Nicaragua’s Ministry of Health, Save the Children and Soynica’s community development programs. Later this summer Plenty representatives will return to work again with Casa Nutrem staff, in an effort to improve the quality of their soy food products and advance their small business management skills.

In the last quarter of this year Plenty and its CAFSI partners are planning to send representatives from UPAVIM and the Huichol Center to visit and work with staff at Soynica’s Casa Nutrem and ADIBE respectively. This first in a series of technical assistance and cultural exchanges will allow people who are just beginning to learn food processing and marketing skills to discuss ideas with and learn from counterparts who have several years of experience.

Plenty is seeking qualified volunteers, donations of cash and equipment to help it meet the goals and objectives of this Central American Food Security Initiative during 2005 and 2006.

Chuck Haren,
CAFSI Program Director