In an exclusive interview with Africa Talks Business, The resilient and passionate Nicodemus teaches us that though dreams tend to fail us, having a passion for something can turn into something better than a dream, Success.
Just a background on you & how your journey started.
“I never intended to or wanted to be in the food industry.
My main goal and dream was to be a journalist. A famous broadcasting or
television journalist. But after I left school, finding work in this field was not
easy. I looked for work for one year with no success. It is at this point that I
tapped into my secondary passion – food. This is how my journey started
and now 10 years later, my only regret is that I did not start on this path
sooner. I have been a farmer, chef, and now a social entrepreneur working to
reduce food loss and waste in the fresh produce value-chain.”
What inspired you to venture into the food industry?
“My being in the food industry did not start as a result of inspiration or
passion. It was more of an accident or fluke. But my staying in the food
industry is definitely as a result of the love of the work that I do, the impact
I’ve had in my previous roles and the potential to change many lives with my
new responsibilities.”
What impact would you like to make in Africa as a Businessman?
“This is something I think about often. When all is said and done what shall
success look like exactly for me and for the different people for whom we do
our work? And for me the answer is simple – food. Food is a cause of both
happiness and pain, more so in Afrika. There is a lot of food injustice in the
continent along different supply and value chains. My focus area – food loss
reduction is especially of concern in a continent where 37 out of 54
countries have a hunger situation rated as “serious.” It then makes little
sense that $4 billion worth of grains alone are wasted each year in the
continent. The question becomes, how do we efficiently feed a growing
population on readily available foods without exerting further pressure on
the planet? I think answering this question will give a clear picture of the
impact we hope to achieve.”
What does success mean to you?
“Success is when we create a business model that allows all or most of the
food that is produced to remain in the human supply chain as innovative and
creative food offerings. This food would then be used to feed vulnerable
communities such as refugees.”
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to venture into the Food Industry?
“The food industry, especially in Afrika is looking for creative thinkers to
sustainably feed a growing population without exerting too much or further
pressure on limited resources or the planet. By all means join and grace us
with your brilliance for the good of the continent and the world. Just don’t
give up after your first attempt!”
+ There are no comments
Add yours