Enhancing the use of underutiliZed food crops

With the aim of promoting and enhancing the use of neglected and underutilised species (NUS), a multi-disciplinary team of partners pioneered a community-led intervention that added value to local cereals and legumes through the production and marketing of “pressure popped” snacks. A prototype pressure-popping machine was conceived and realised by a Kenyan private company, using locally available materials and involving three local communities in Kenya, who participated in the experimental production of popped grains and other value addition activities. The intervention was very successful and resulted in local entrepreneurs purchasing the prototype machine using their own funds, as well as the inception of a number of “popping businesses”. Popping proved to be a novel way of earning income for community groups utilising local cereals as snack. The technical training received by interested groups and entrepreneurs and their continuous interaction with the team members stimulated local innovations in value addition. A range of local cereals and legumes were tried out and promising popped products were also flavoured with local fruits, vegetables and aromatic plants. Final products were then given brand names, and were nicely packaged, labelled and marketed. This paper summarises how this successful initiative was implemented. It also shares the experiences of and lessons learnt by two local private companies directly involved in these efforts.