The winners of “The Great Millet Quest,” a competition designed to champion sustainable and innovative millet-based products, have been announced. The University of Nairobi’s Team Nexus emerged victorious with their creation – Milcracks, healthy, probiotic-infused crackers made from millet and essential seeds. Milcracks are designed to be enjoyed as a standalone snack or breakfast option and specifically target micronutrient deficiencies, a prevalent health concern in Kenya. Their victory secured them the top prize of Sh500,000.
Team Nexus expressed their excitement about their performance in the competition, highlighting their passion for making a difference in the food production landscape. “Developing our millet crackers fortified with probiotics has been an incredible journey. We’re not just excited about this win; we’re passionate about the opportunity it presents to innovate and make a real difference in Kenya’s food landscape,” stated Team Nexus. The competition, launched in January 2024 by Unilever, Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA), and the University of Nairobi, aimed to unleash student creativity and explore the potential of millet, a highly nutritious and drought-resistant grain.
The Great Millet Quest garnered strong entries, with Team Kalmi taking home the first runner-up position for their precooked, ready-to-eat puffed millet product, earning them Sh250,000. Team SoyMill secured the second runner-up spot with their innovative Soy Mill Noodles, receiving Sh100,000. The initiative aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 of achieving food security and improved nutrition by 2030 and aligns with Kenya’s Flour Blending Initiative, which seeks to make underutilized crops like millet more competitive and create new employment opportunities.
Millet, nicknamed a “Nutri-cereal,” offers a multitude of benefits, being packed with essential vitamins, minerals, protein, antioxidants, and starch resistance. Its resilience to harsh climatic conditions, including drought, heat, and pests, makes it an ideal crop for smallholder farmers. Requiring minimal water and fertilizer, millet thrives in diverse environments, offering a sustainable agricultural solution. George Njoroge, FtMA Kenya Country Coordinator, highlighted the significance of millet, saying, “Millet, with its rich nutritional profile, holds the potential to address both food security and nutritional needs in Kenya’s rapidly expanding population.”
The Great Millet Quest goes beyond awarding student innovation. The competition directly addresses the challenges posed by climate change by promoting climate-resilient crops, contributing to national food security. Dexter Adeola, Africa Platform Lead, Nutrition, emphasized the importance of millet in transforming the food ecosystem. “Changing the food ecosystem requires creating demand for sustainable ingredients like millet,” said Adeola. “Unilever’s Great Millet Quest project embodies this effort. Partnering with FtMA, we have trained over 800 farmers in regenerative agriculture, aligning with Unilever’s Net Zero pathway. Youth involvement in innovation is crucial for a sustainable future, and this initiative empowers them to protect and shape it.”
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