Fortifying with morogo

COLLABORATIVE efforts have yielded a healthier brand of instant noodles for the African market. According to Nestlé South Africa, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and Department of Science and Technology (DST) – partners in this project – it took them three years of research to find the right South African edible plant to enrich instant noodles. Through their work the commercial product, Maggi 2 Minute Noodles with real Morogo was developed.

The product was launched at the 5th CSIR Conference under the theme “70 years of Ideas that Work”.

At this conference, the Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor said, “The local knowledge that has been passed on orally from generation to generation is a vital part of a nation’s heritage. In South Africa indigenous knowledge has massive potential for research, development, and innovation. The Department is proud of this key milestone where we successfully translated academic research into an innovative commercial product which will be enjoyed by South African consumers.”

Speaking at the event about their role in the partnership, CSIR Group Executive for Strategic Alliances and Communication, Dr Rachel Chikwamba said, “We provided our expertise in the processing of indigenous products to jointly develop this innovative product with Nestlé that will benefit the people of our country. Working with the ARC, production of the vegetable ingredients will provide an opportunity for small scale farmers and support implementation of the AgriParks model.’’

She continued, “Our partnership with Nestlé is a great example of how public and private institutions can work together to address problems that are facing our country such as unemployment. These types of partnerships play a critical role in ensuring that the CSIR and industry support the implementation of the Bio-economy strategy in its objective to have the Bio-economy to contribute to the National GDP by 2030.”

Biodiversity examined

Morogo in South African language refers to vegetable. Also known as Amaranthus, it is popular for its health benefits and potential in nutraceutical and functional food applications. The vegetable grows widely and can also be cultivated, according to a report by the local National Department of Agriculture.

According to Nestlé and partners in the research, the morogo was chosen over Cleome and Cow Pea which were also screened for nutrient bioavailability during digestion.

Research and consumer studies showed the health benefits of morogo which is rich in Beta Carotene, minerals and protein.

“Through this partnership, we were able to develop the best agronomic practices and farming guidelines for morogo, said CEO of the Agricultural Research Council, Dr Shadrack Moephuli. “We also evaluated the commercial viability of producing African Leafy Vegetables in a sustainable manner for commercial and smallholder farmers under irrigated conditions.”

He added, “The launch of this product fits within the ARC’s objective to broaden the food base in order to achieve food and nutrition security through food science and technology development for improved product quality and yield.”

For Nestlé, its collaboration with the other organizations demonstrated its principle of creating shared value. This means that for a business to be successful, it must create value for communities in which it operates.

“We believe that through partnerships such as this one where we are able to collaborate with experts in agricultural research and share our deep consumer understanding and product development; we continue to demonstrate our commitment to creating shared value in communities where we have a presence,” said Ravi Pillay, Corporate Affairs Director for Nestlé South Africa.”

“The addition of Morogo in our range of MAGGI Noodles is our response to our global ambition of being the leader in nutrition, health and wellness by leveraging global expertise for local preference, said Mr Pillay.

Benefiting from this partnership is South Africa as well. It supports South Africa’s National Development Plan which is targeting the growth of the local economy through public – private partnerships. Specifically, it will contribute toward rural development by creating jobs for young farmers.