Tracking Development - Rio Tinto - Qit Madagascar Minerals

The Production Phase
A confectionary
Thirty men and women from Ampasy Nahampoana
and Mandromondromotra have undergone training
and are currently earning an income through small scale
food processing. Bananas, raspberries, guavas, litchis and
other produce are being transformed into jams, jellies
and marmalades. Since January 2011, over 700 jars have
been produced. The locally made products are sold to
restaurants and individuals across Fort Dauphin. Sodexo,
the catering company supplying much of QMM’s food,
purchases 60kg per month alone.
The confectionary houses new and contemporary
appliances and utensils and is up to the highest sanitary
standards. The NGO Cielo Terra implements the project,
provides training and supplies many of the materials.
The project has begun to market trial a “petite boulangerie”
or small bakery, in which local commodities are being
experimented with to prepare cakes and snacks. Manioc, an
abundant food source in the region, is being used outside of its
traditional form to make donuts, sambos and fish cakes. These
goods are sold in the communes in which they are produced.
As participants continue to develop their skills, future initiatives
include producing fresh juices, candies from natural fruit base,
fruit snacks, and canning vegetables. This undertaking, new to
the region and population, not only generates an income for
participants, but also has introduced high quality and unique
products for local markets.
Participants from Ampasy Nahampoana are learning new
techniques they can introduce to their communities.
Cielo Terra covers the cost of labelling and product marketing.
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