Pumpkin value addition expected to reduce over reliance on maize products

By Lilian Museka

Mark Twain, a renowned American comic writer once said “Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. This saying goes a long way in confirming Kenya’s over reliance on Ugali ( a corn or maize flour meal prepared by stirring in hot water till it hardens ) as their main staple food, that every family puts on the table at least once every day.

A research done by Assistant professor at Premier University in Bangladesh, Haradha Kumar on Food and Nutrition Scenario of Kenya in 2014 reported that maize is the basic staple of the Kenyan diet, accounting for about 65% of total staple food caloric intake.

However, even as citizens continue to prefer the readily available meal, reports indicate that Kenyans eating Ugali are at high risk of malnutrition. The report by the Ministry of Health’s Safety Food Unit released in July 2018 shows that consumers are being deceived by manufactures who label their products as fortified- contain extra nutrients.

The report says none of the 177 maize flour samples collected between March and April exceeded the regulatory level of atleast 1.4 milligram per kilo for vitamin A. The highest level was 0.8mg/kg. Only five per cent showed compliance to both iron and vitamin A, while 12 per cent showed compliance to both zinc and iron. The survey was done in Kiambu, Kisumu, Machakos, Mombasa, Nairobi and Uasin Gishu.

The report also states that only 28 per cent of maize and wheat flour on supermarket shelves meets the stipulated standards of micro-nutrient quantities. (Micro-nutrients are chemical elements or substance required in trace amounts for normal growth and development of living organisms.)
Maize is one of the four products prioritized for fortification (process of adding micro-nutrients) in line with legal requirements enforced in 2012, alongside wheat flour, table salt and vegetable fats and oils.

This shows that most Kenyans may have a problem of malnutrition which may be a threat to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and vision 2030, a development process of Kenya launched by former Presidet Mwai Kibaki on October 2006. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR) lists inadequate dietary intake as one of the causes of malnutrition.

“This is a very serious problem that the country may be facing if not urgently addressed. We can tackle malnutrition using homegrown solutions. Our primary goal is to ensure nutrition standards are improved and maintained through such activities as promoting intake of natural, fresh and healthy foodstuffs,” says Jonathan Mbatia, one of the directors at Aberdare Agglomere Limited.

The company produces whole Pumpkin Powder (obtained from whole Butter-nut Pumpkins) and whole Carrot Powder (obtained from whole red carrots) that are nutritious ways of preparing different recipes and foods.
One of the major final products of the company are using the pumpkin powder to prepare Ugali. “With the current allegations that flour manufacturing companies are not producing the required fortified flour, we encourage people to buy the pumpkin powder, mix it with maize flour and use it to prepare Ugali,” says Mbatia.

Mbatia says that the pumpkin acts as a supplement hence added to the flour during preparation. Other meals that pumpkin powder is added include chapatti, soups, smoothes, cakes and porridge, hence increasing the utritional value of meals.

“It is good we point out that in our products we are retaining 99% of the raw material i.e skin, seeds & flesh are not going to waste. Based on our target market, in children the pumpkin has high levels of Vitamin A,E and C which assists them with growth. In the elderly, they require high levels of Zinc, Vitamin A & C. and finally, the upper/middle and low income earners, due to their time constraints and busy schedules; they require foods that are natural, healthy, nutritious, easy, flexible and convenient in the preparation of different recipes. This changes their eating habits and trends by becoming more and more “health conscious,” adds Mbatia.

Medical News Today records that Pumpkin is a highly nutrient-dense food. It is rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. Pumpkin seeds, leaves, and juices all pack a powerful nutritional punch.
World Health organization (WHO) reports that eating more plant foods such as pumpkin decreases the risk of obesity and overall mortality. It can also help prevent diabetes and heart disease, promote a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, and a healthful body mass index.

However, the organization regrets that pumpkin as one of the traditional cuisine is often endangered and regarded as an old fashioned or time consuming to prepare. It is being replaced by contemporary cuisines which are high in fats, thereby increasing the rate of mortality.
“We are trying to empower people on the need to embrace a habit of natural, fresh and readily available food products which increases their chances of living long,” says Mbatia.

The company also produces carrot powder which is used in chapati, smoothes, beef, and vegetables and as porridge. It is highly nutritious in vitamins and as an antioxidant.

The company also targets cosmetics companies as one of their customers for carrot powder which is a great skin care ingredient in creating Essential Oil, Macerated Oil and hydro-sol. “For example, carrot oil is a great hair conditioner, providing moisture to the hair while helping to improve scalp condition,” says Mbatia .The current prices for the product are; for wholesale Ksh 700 per Kilogram for the pumpkin powder and ksh 600 per kilogram for the carrot powder. Retail prices are through distributors who include Healthy U 2000, Mboga Matters, Edbo Shop and Chandarana Supermarkerts, with plans of expanding to other retailers in the near future.

But how then did Aberdare Agglomere Limited get established? “It all started at our home in Nyandarua where our initial purpose was to form a co-operative society to help our fellow farmers who suffered losses during bumper harvest, where the produce (melon and carrots) would either go to waste or middlemen/brokers would exploit them by purchasing it at very low prices. We later changed the module and came up with the company to solve that problem by adding value to the farmers produce and creating employment opportunities,” says Mbatia,.

Nyandarua is surrounded by the Aberdares, one of the coutry’s water towers, making it a cold area that leads to high production of vegetables.
Aberdare Agglomere has four directors namely; Jackson a banker, CPA (K) holder with a post graduate diploma in enterprise development, Mercy an accountant with Bachelor of commerce with CPA (K), Jonathan an insurance manager with a Bachelor of Commerce and Rosemary a science trainer.
“Being neighboring farmers at home and with our different professions, we decided to come together with the main aim of ensuring our produce did not go to waste. We started by getting melons and carrots from our own firms, doing the basic process of washing, chopping, drying and grinding them than using the flour at home. We later shared with our neighbors and they liked it. That’s how we began packaging and selling,” he adds.

The company has since increased distribution base, spreading to Nakuru and Nairobi, with intentions to spread all over the country. “We engaged in the Nairobi Innovation week 2018 forum where we were first runners up in the manufacturing category. We have also participated in the KCB Lions Den where we got a partnership worth KSh. 7 million for 45 percent equity share with the Lions, that will help us in our expansion programme.”
“Our biggest challenge definitely was finances. This basically hampered our growth and dented our customer satisfaction levels which we believe is paramount to the success of any business. We believe our partnership with our investors will assist us in bridging this gap so that we can serve our customers better as we grow the business,’ he concludes.