New Soyfoods Alliance to Promote Nutrition and Business in Nine African Countries
Senator Byron Dorgan hosts signing ceremony with soy leaders and USAID

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 15, 2005) – Top soy industry leaders launched a new partnership to improve the nutritional value of foods offered in nine African countries as well as foster long-term business growth for Africa and the United States. The Soy in Southern Africa Alliance is a two-year, public-private partnership led by the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) program with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). U.S. soy processors are also partnering and pledging technical knowledge, products and equipment that will benefit at least 45 African companies as well as thousands of people, including HIV/AIDS patients.

Photo caption: signers of the Alliance agreement as well as African embassy officials who attended the ceremony

U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) hosted the signing ceremony. "America’s soybean producers have known for years that they were growing one of the most nutritious foods in the world. I'm pleased that USAID is not only recognizing that as well, but putting that food to work in a way that will help thousands of people in very important ways, as well as develop new markets for soybean producers,” Dorgan said.

Soy, an economical source of high-quality protein already in demand in Africa, can cost effectively improve the nutritional content of African foods, and create opportunity for African businesses. The Alliance effort will improve nutrition and create sustainable economic development opportunities in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.

U.S. industry partners signed the agreement witnessed by USAID and other guests. Partners include WISHH, The Solae Company, Natural Products Inc., WhiteWave Foods/Silk Soymilk, Soyatech, Hain Celestial Group, Malnutrition Matters, and The Services Group. Key African-based partners include the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research as well as local, regional, and national government authorities, and targeted non-governmental organizations and businesses. These partners are part of the Southern Africa Global Competitiveness Hub managed by The Services Group - a USAID contractor.

“U.S. soybean growers launched the WISHH program to leverage our efforts to create sustainable solutions for protein demands of people in developing countries,” said Richard Ostlie, first vice president of the American Soybean Association. “We have already witnessed great demand for soy in Africa. Today’s announcement jumpstarts opportunities for better nutrition, better health and better business in Africa and with the United States. This program helps local businesses feed their own communities.”
WISHH has assembled a support team from the nation’s top corporate and association soy experts to head the efforts in Africa. U.S. industry is contributing more than $450,000 to the program and USAID’s Africa Bureau and Global Development Alliance program is leveraging the corporate contribution with $300,000.

Photo caption: Senator Dorgan describing how proud he is of U.S. soybean growers for creating the Soy Foods in Southern Africa Alliance.

The Solae Company, a global innovator in technology development and the research and application of soy protein, is the largest industry representative and contributor to the campaign. Because the company holds extensive expertise in the areas of protein nutrition, application and global food trends, it will play a key role in the alliance. “The alliance between WISHH and USAID is unique because instead of cutting a check and hoping the situation will improve, we will work directly with these countries and businesses to develop a sustainable program from the ground up,” said Tony Arnold, chief executive officer of The Solae Company. “Our goal is to meet the needs of the African people, not only nutritionally with regard to a protein source that is high in quality, but also providing nutrition in food forms that are familiar to them.”

In recent years, food insecurity has also greatly affected the Southern African region requiring substantial amounts of humanitarian assistance. According to USAID, over the last two decades, Southern Africa has experienced a 16 percent increase in undernourishment. Moreover, at this current rate, the number of malnourished children will increase by more than 200,000 by 2015.

“In Southern Africa, many communities are looking for ways to improve their diets and increase protein consumption in the population while at the same time being cost-efficient and relatively simple to produce,” said Jim Hershey, director of WISHH.

In addition, within the nine African countries targeted in this program, six (Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia) have HIV/AIDS rates that are higher than 20 percent of the population. "HIV/AIDS-infected people need more protein than uninfected people. Soy has the ability to be part of the solution to help meet their requirements for protein, calories and other nutritional needs,” Hershey said.

Photo caption:Jim Hershey addressing attendees

The WISHH Alliance is designed to provide a variety of services to increase the capacity of African businesses by incorporate soy ingredients into their products. Training courses and training materials will be provided to local manufacturers, distributors, and processors that explain ways to utilize soy proteins for functional, nutritional and economic benefit. Industry experts will teach participants how to increase soy quality, lower associated costs and enhance the nutrition of foods.

About WISHH
State soybean grower organizations launched the WISHH Program in 2000. WISHH is headquartered at the American Soybean Association in St. Louis, and it creates sustainable solutions for the protein demands of people in developing countries through the introduction and use of U.S. soy products. WISHH has worked in 23 countries, ranging from Africa to Asia to Latin America, to improve diets as well as encourage growth of food industries. For more information about WISHH, please visit www.wishh.org.

About The Solae Company
Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, The Solae Company is a global innovator in technology development and the research and application of soy protein. It serves food and beverage manufacturers, dietary supplement developers, retailers and consumers in 100 countries worldwide including the U.S. and Canada, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region. The company was formed through an alliance between DuPont (NYSE: DD) and Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG). For more than 30 years, The Solae Company has invested in fundamental research to understand the health benefits of soy protein in order to provide better ingredients for better living. Researchers at more than 180 leading universities and research institutions have used soy protein products produced by The Solae Company in hundreds of completed and ongoing soy studies. For more about the health benefits of soy protein, including additional research and sources, please visit www.thesolaecompany.com.
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Photo caption: Richard Ostlie speaking about the role of soy and WISHH’s work around the world as Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) listens.