VitaGoat
micro-enterprise responds to malnutrition
VitaGoat system, left to right: steam boiler, cooker with press, cycle grinder
By Frank Daller,Vice-President of Malnutrition Matters.
Looking beyond short term feeding solutions, Malnutrition Matters is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing sustainable, affordable and locally available food technology solutions for malnutrition. Staff have been involved in food technology projects in over 30 countries, although the emphasis has been in the regions of the Former Soviet Union, in Africa and in India. Most recently, Malnutrition Matters has developed a completely non-electric, versatile food processing system called VitaGoat improving upon previous systems (SoyCow and VitaCow) which both require a reliable supply of electricity.
The VitaGoat system comprises of a pressurecooking vessel, a bicycle-powered grinding system, an energy-efficient steam generator and a mechanical press. The system can process soybeans into soya-milk and derivatives, as well as fruits, vegetables and cereals into aqueous solutions or juices, soups, purees, and gruels. There is no food wastage with the processing. The 'Okara' residue from the soya processing is available for breads, as additions to other foods, or can be used as animal feed. Using only its bicycle grinder, the VitaGoat can also grind dry cereals and grains to produce flour, and meal, and process nuts into pastes or 'butter' such as peanut butter. It can also grind roasted coffee.
The VitaGoat can be used in a number of settings including humanitarian projects, social institutions (hospitals, schools, etc) and sustainable micro-enterprises. The technology also facilitates the development of projects for processing and preserving foods and can for example be useful in situations of seasonal 'glut' where waste can occur due to lack of local markets or processing options, e.g. mangos and tomatoes.
Launching in October, the projected local selling price should be under US$2,000 when technology-transfers are completed. Thereafter, construction, training and parts for the systems will be provided locally. The system will at first undergo a six-month pilot programme test in partnership with Africare in Guinea, Chad and Mozambique. After this, it is intended to transfer responsibilities for the VitaGoat to manufacturers in two or more African locations. Similar initiatives are planned for other regions, including Latin America, and South and South-East Asia, when appropriate sponsors and NGO partners are identified.
For further information, contact: Malnutrition Matters, 498 Rivershore Cres, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1J 7Y7,
email: matters@malnutrition.org,
tel: 1 613 446 0205,
fax: 1 613 446 2072.
See online at http://www.malnutrition.org
More like this
FEX: Value chain approach to increase production of RUTF/CSB
By Yuki Isogai Yuki Isogai is Operations Officer for the Ethiopia Nutrition Project/Private Sector Development Specialist with the World Bank. She has a wide range of...
NEX: Delivering high-quality, locally produced and fortified blended food products in West Africa
Sofia Condes is a public health economist working for GAIN in the Food Policy and Finance Team, with a focus on francophone Africa and Latin America. Jennifer Dahdah is a...
FEX: Improving child nutrition and development through community-based child care centres (CBCCs) in Malawi
Summary of presentation1 View this article as a pdf By Aisha Twalibu, Natalie Roschnik, Aulo Gelli, Mangani Katundu, George Chidalengwa, Peter Phiri and Helen Moestue Aisha...
FEX: Animal husbandry and agriculture efforts toward programme sustainability
Lamech (WHM Agriculture Extension Officer) and beneficiary's father with a Matiti Project goat By Stephanie Jilcott, Karen Masso, Lamech Tugume, Scott Myhre and Jennifer Myhre...
en-net: What home made food for children is equal to plumpy nut?
what home made food for baby is equal to plumpy nut? Can they make it in their homes ???? Tell me detail which ingredients may be included and quantity. You can never compare...
FEX: Nutrition-sensitive agriculture in Zambia: work in progress
By Abigail Moyo, Eunice Bwalya Chishimba and Mary Corbett Abigail Moyo is the Nutrition Facilitator with Self Help Africa (SHA), working in Luwingu District since May 2014....
FEX: The potential of nutrition-sensitive Conservation Agriculture: lessons from Zambia
By Anne Marie Mayer, Marjolein-Mwanamwenge and Carl Whal Anne Marie Mayer works as a freelance nutritionist specialising in the links between agriculture and nutrition. She...
FEX: Study of the Risk Factors for the Development of Nutritional Oedema in North Kivu, DRC
By Mark Myatt and Frances Mason Mark Myatt is a consultant epidemiologist and senior research fellow at the Division of Epidemiology, Institute of Opthalmology, University...
FEX: Local Production of Processed complementary food: World Food Programme experience
Summary of published review Blended food is often used in supplementary feeding programmes. Fango, Ethiopia, 2000. Pieternella Pieterse (Concern) Pieter Dijkhuizen has been a...
FEX: USAID in public-private alliance initiative
Summary of published research1 A malnourished child helps herself to locally produed RUTF in Malawi The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) established...
FEX: Local Production of RUTF (Special Supplement 2)
By Dr Peter Fellows Introduction The development of RUTF has been an important factor facilitating the development of CTC. However at the moment, most RUTF is made in France,...
FEX: Relief Food Factory to Open in Kenya
Pan-African food giant Promasidor is setting up a Ksh 550 million relief food factory in Kenya. The company name will be `Nutro Manufacturing EPZ'. It is anticipated that 11...
FEX: British Red Cross urban learning scoping study
Summary of report1 The British Red Cross has undertaken a scoping study to better understand the challenges posed by humanitarian action in urban areas, and how the Red Cross...
FEX: NGOnut discussion summaries - ORS v Resomal, Lactose intolerance, and split peas
O.R.S OR RESOMAL Question Does anyone have any data documenting the superiority of a reduced sodium, higher potassium ORS over the standard WHO ORS? The few studies which we...
FEX: Local Production of Plumpy’Nut
Local production in Malawi, 2002 By Anne-Laure Glaisner and Beatrice Simkins, Nutriset The French company, Nutriset, has been involved in projects aimed at establishing local...
FEX: Issue 33 Editorial
This issue of Field Exchange is published in the 'after-glow' of the high profile and long-awaited Lancet series on 'Maternal and Child Undernutrition.' The series of five...
en-net: Local production for alternative RUTF in Burundi
I'm due to travel to Burundi in early July to conduct research with an international NGO. My project is to investigate the viability of establishing local production for a food...
FEX: Alternative RUTF formulations (Special Supplement 2)
By Steve Collins & Jeya Henry Developing CTC programmes that use Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) made locally, from locally available produce, and used to treat...
en-net: Protein type for children U2 and Pregnant and Lactating women- Specific guidance?
Are there any specific guidelines on what should be the protein sources and distribution between animal and plant protein for adequate nutrition in children U2 and for PLW? In...
NEX: Nutrition Impact and Positive Practice Circles
Vimbai Chishanu et al., GOAL Field Exchange 47, p43 The Nutrition Impact and Positive Practice (NIPP) circle methodology is a community nutrition approach that aims to...
Reference this page
Frank Daller (). VitaGoat. Field Exchange 20, November 2003. p12. www.ennonline.net/fex/20/vitagoat
(ENN_3761)