elimentaire sarl

Creating enterprise and combating malnutrition in Madagascar

Overview

Elimentaire is a Malagasy company developed by GEXSI Capital Partners in 2010. The company pioneers a social business model that refines raw products from under-utilised plant species to create high value food products and supplements, whilst addressing the pressing issues of malnutrition and poverty in Madagascar.

Approach

Elimentaire’s first work programme centres on taking commercial advantage of the products grown by the Moringa tree (Moringa olifeira). The Moringa tree has been known for many generations throughout Asia-Pacific, Africa and regions of Latin America as a drought-resistant source of food and other beneficial components.

Otherwise known as the ‘Miracle Tree’, its dried leaves when crushed are a highly nutritious powder that possesses 4 times the calcium and twice the protein in milk; 4 times the vitamin A in carrots; 3 times the potassium in bananas; and, 7 times the vitamin C in oranges.

Elimentaire also plans to develop another work stream using Spirulina, which is a highly-nutritional food additive.  Moreover, the company is exploring the other horticultural business opportunities – such as fair trade Mangoes – that take advantage of Madagascar’s climate and respect the environmental conditions.

Elimentaire has been successful in signing an offtake contract with a selected Malagasy health food company, who in turn is marketing the final products to an established domestic market. As well, elimentaire is planning to diversify the client base by exploring supplying cattle breeders in La Reunion and South Africa Moringa feed cakes.

The company is also in discussions with health and humanitarian NGOs for Moringa powder to be used as a high-value food fortifier to fight malnutrition in famine and disaster situations, where food supplies are limited and/or non-existent.

This is another social business venture that has drawn upon, and continues to benefit from the experience and effort of the whole of GEXSI.  GEXSI Capital Partners have birthed the company, and are responsible for the overall management, strategy and finance of the business.  GEXSI Capital Partners have also provided the seed funding to enlarge the original test plantation to adequately fulfil the initial commercial orders.

Prior to the commercial launch of the business, the Charity was responsible for scoping, financing and developing the original 0.5 ha test plantation.  Here, the Charity also undertook extensive desktop and field research to analyse and assess the potential of Moringa as a cash producing plant species and framed the potential social and environmental benefits that could be achieved.

Outlook

By addressing malnutrition and poverty alleviation within the context of an innovative commercial model, elimentaire is well placed to deliver immediate and ongoing positive impacts to the livelihoods of remote rural communities in Madagascar.

The company integrates three social and environmental impact categories which mutually complement each other:

Combating malnutrition: Fighting malnutrition by providing remote rural communities with a drought-resistant food source (the leaves and seedpods), as well as a reliable source of revenue.

Employment and training: elimentaire can facilitate the training of local inhabitants to work on the plantation and/or administrative positions. By gaining a more relevant skill set, these individuals will enhance their employability.

Poverty alleviation: through direct employment on the plantation, the project will make an immediate and sustained impact on helping to lift local residents out of poverty.