Foreword [Volume 19 No. 5 (2019)]
Decades ago when I started to learn about sources of high quality protein, I came to learn that animal source proteins are the best. These include meats of all types from both domesticated and wild animals. Also included here are insects of all types including snails, and insects such as crickets, ants and others. Other good sources of high quality protein are milk and eggs. I started to understand how African children are protein deficient. As the children are weaned off mother's milk, which is premium and virtually the best of all time, they are put on adult food which often lacks milk and does not contain much of high quality protein. From there on, toddlers who were growing vibrantly while on mother’s milk begin to stagnate in growth.
On coming back from the USA, equipped with the knowledge of what a good substitute for meat soybeans can be, I tried to introduce soybean growing and consumption to our farmers. It proved to be challenging. Even when we told them about soil improvement, they did not show much interest. This was because they already had their own traditional legumes they grow and consume, and adopting soybean whose flavor and cooking specifications are different and even challenging.
In western Kenya where I work, it was through a project that was funded by AGRA on soils on Integrated Soil Fertility Management that involved using soybeans to improve soil health through fixing of nitrogen that I got to introduce soybean again to our farmers. After 2 seasons of planting soybean, farmers were experiencing double yields of maize (corn); so, if the soybean was so good for the soil then it must be good for eating.
Now, soybean continues to be blended into people’s diets in western Kenya.
We are happy to publish this particular issue of AJFAND of soybean and Africa.
We have a rich set of manuscripts which we hope our readership will find useful.
I wish you good reading.
Ruth Oniang'o
Editor-in-Chief, AJFAND
Dr. Peter Goldsmith is the Principal Investigator and Director of USAID’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Soybean Value Chain Research (Soybean Innovation Lab). Dr. Goldsmith’s background in global agro-industrial marketing and strategy, as well as experiences spanning over a decade in Brazil and Argentina, has allowed him to bring new market ideas, commercial practices, and economic opportunities to fruition, making a significant impact in Africa and other developing countries. Dr. Goldsmith holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Ohio State University and an MBA from Xavier University. A professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for two decades, Dr. Peter Goldsmith is one of the world’s leading soybean economists with unique expertise in low-latitude soybean production and international development.
