We encourage and assist emerging or small-scale farmers to embrace soy as a rotation crop for maize through our project. Too many small-scale maize growers, this concept appears to be risk-based, however, after training and highlighting the benefits of soy, there is immediate acceptance, especially when the nitro-fixing benefits of soybeans and the resultant cost of saving on fertilizers are understood.

Soy Micro Enterprises

The objective of the soy Micro-enterprises is to set up SoyCow and VitaGoat food processing systems to process locally grown soybeans and to promote the processing of other soy in food products. Through the implementation of the Mobile Soy Awareness Program, we have been able to identify suitable Soypreneurs. On completion of the Mobile Soy Awareness program, we have identified candidates; within communities that have established a good support base for soy food products; whom has shown innovation and enthusiasm to pursue planting of soybeans as a potential value added crop. Such champions are deemed suitable to manage possible Soy Micro-enterprises within their communities.

(Please see Annexure B for information on the VitaGoat and SoyCow)

 Conclusion

Through the Soy Awareness Program we educate and inform people of the nutritional value of soy within their daily diet as an affordable protein substitute. This program furnishes our participants with different value adding soy opportunities in accordance with their current and future requirements based on their individual social economic circumstances.