The Novel Fermentation Action Lab Vision™
Resourced envisions the Novel Fermentation Action Lab (NFAL) as a platform that pioneers innovative solutions to our food system challenges using microbial technologies.
NFAL will identify, engage, and incubate novel fermentation technologies and innovative biomanufacturing companies to identify sustainable applications and market entry strategies for sub-Saharan Africa, targeting affordable and nutritious ingredients and foods for low-income consumers. The range of emerging fermentation applications is rapidly expanding.
New SynBio companies are developing an array of new products, based on a host of microbial agents – bacterium, mycelium (fungi), algae, yeasts, other microorganisms and mammalian cells. These can deliver products that range from food analogues (e.g. eggs, milk) to commercial ingredients (e.g. protein, flour, oils) to specialty products (e.g. infant formula, breast milk alternatives).
Resourced plans to engage with manufacturing and technology innovators to identify strong candidates for Fermentation Launch Opportunities (FLOs) who can partner and explore opportunities for deploying their novel solutions into local value chains to contribute to a sustainable bio-economy. Included below are several fermentation opportunities and partner examples who Resourced has already begun engaging.
The goal of this project is to incubate novel fermentation technologies and innovative biomanufacturing companies to identify sustainable applications and market entry strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting affordable and nutritious ingredients and foods for low-income consumers. This work will leverage advances in fermentation science to help design and generate proteins with a small carbon footprint through a process unaffected by climactic shocks.
Deploying these solutions in local value chains can address three major challenges currently plaguing our global food systems:
1. Environmental impact
2. Nutritional insufficiency, and
3. Lack of accessibility.
With the proposed grant, we will be able to ensure that novel technologies do not bypass the communities that need them the most.
The proposed funding opportunity aims to explore the immense potential of fermentation technologies in addressing climate challenges and advancing sustainability in developing economies. By investing in this initiative, we can seize the world-changing opportunities presented by fermentation technologies and their applications in diverse sectors.
This investment is crucial in realizing the anticipated climate and sustainability impacts on both people and the planet, aligning with the Rockefeller Foundation's vision of promoting innovative solutions, fostering economic empowerment, and generating insights to inform their climate vision.
The accelerated deployment and technology transfer model, led by partners in the region, can enable leapfrogging developments and leverage existing fermentation infrastructure to create a decentralized, climate-resilient bioeconomy.
The challenges of developing economies, characterized by limited valorization of agricultural products, inadequate centralized supply chains, and heavy reliance on imports and global aid, require a visionary approach to catalyze change. Fermentation technologies offer unparalleled potential to transform these economies, empowering farmers and local communities and accelerating their transition to sustainable models. By creating a program that accelerates the deployment of tailored fermentation technologies, we can bridge this gap and foster climate change equality.
The strategic approach of this platform initiative is to:
The strategic benefits of this approach are expected to include:
1. Improved Nutritional Security
Increased production efficiency, yield and replication of fermented proteins, oils and ingredients impacting positively on the affordaability and accessibility of nutritious foods.
2. Reduced Import Dependence through Localization of Supply Chains
Ex: edible oils is one of the technologies that will tremendously reduce importation of palm
oil. It is estimated that Kenya’s vegetable oil requirement is between 600,000 to 1,000,000 metric tons, 95% of which is palm oil, which is primarily imported from Indonesia and Malaysia. According to FAO data, palm oil imports have grown at a CAGR of over 4% in Kenya over the last 20 years, with recorded imports peaking in 2020 at 1.14M metric tons.
3. Low Footprint Manufacturing
Precision fermentation is a low-carbon method of bio-manufacturing, often at a fraction of the eco footprint (energy, resource utilization and emissions) of comparable traditional food products.
These bio-manufacturing approaches have the added advantage of enabling “drop-in fermentation” opportunities to leverage under-utilized existing local infrastructure.
4. Accelerating the Nutrition Transition
The transition towards diets high in saturated fats in low and middle-income countries has been marked by a rapid expansion in the global proteins and edible oil production and consumption. Growth trajectories for low and middle-income countries is faster than high income countries who have already completed the transition.
Huge opportunity to improve nutritional quality with substitutes manufactured locally from local feedstocks.
5. Higher Utilization = Lower Production Footprint
Potential for substitution from locally grown ingredients that have supply limitations, un-valorized byproducts and waste streams, or negatively impact the environment.
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