During his first visit to Manica province in August, Ambassador Dean Pittman visited one of the Marketplace for Nutritious Foods grantees, VEGMAN. The purpose of the visit was to reiterate USG support for small and medium enterprise growth, production of nutritious foods, and bio-fortification.
The Marketplace project supported VEGMAN with technical assistance and a grant to make the farm more productive, the retail shop more profitable, and the distribution channel more efficient. The outlet store sells VEGMAN’s own produce as well as other products on consignment. VEGMAN makes locally produced food more accessible and affordable to nearby communities. VEGMAN also benefited from a loan made possible by the Development Credit Authority (DCA) loan portfolio guarantee.
The USAID-funded Marketplace for Nutritious Foods project is implemented by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The project provides small- to medium-sized agriculture businesses or farms access to knowledge, networks, and technical and financial assistance to enhance their businesses.
The project has also played a major role in promoting policies for food fortification with vitamins and minerals.
