Join us for an insightful discussion with our special guest, Gena Perry, executive director of the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH). A program of the American Soybean Association, WISHH expands global access to U.S. soy. Through partnerships, technical assistance, and training, WISHH helps address the protein gap and food insecurity in developing and emerging markets.
Join us for an insightful discussion with our special guest, Gena Perry, executive director of the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH). A program of the American Soybean Association, WISHH expands global access to U.S. soy. Through partnerships, technical assistance, and training, WISHH helps address the protein gap and food insecurity in developing and emerging markets.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It is great to be here with you on Farm Food Facts. Thanks to the US farmers and ranchers in action. I am your new host, Joanna Guza, located in America's Dairyland. We are excited to connect you to the leading minds in Agriculture on a regular basis. Today our focus is on the World initiative for Soy and Human Health. We're also known as WISHH it was established 20 years ago by the American Soybean Association. Wish is the catalyst for trade in developing and emerging markets. They track trends in protein demands, foster business development, and serve as the connection of businesses and partners across the global market system. Today we're gonna focus specifically on the protein gap in developing and emerging markets and how WISHH is building markets around the world. Our guest today is Gena Perry. She's the executive director of the WISHH Program. And we're gonna dive right into this topic. Gena, can you share more about the protein gap in developing and emerging markets?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Sure. Uh, WISHH works in developing emerging markets to create agricultural value chains that leads to, uh, lasting demand for US soy. Um, and we do this through, through the improvement of health, nutrition and food security. Um, within that food, food security realm, um, we address what's known as a protein gap. So that basically means that there's more protein being demanded than what's produced locally. So as income rises, as people, um, want to consume more protein, whether that's through animals, um, like poultry, eggs, fish, uh, or having more protein and other human foods and beverages, um, that we looked to soy, uh, to help close that protein gap.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And we're not even just talking about human nutrition. It's, you know, animals as well. You mentioned fish and poultry. What has been the recent target market or area and why?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
So WISHH, uh, works in 28 countries across the world. Uh, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. Um, and so we focus within different sectors and different countries depending on the opportunity. Um, so some places like, uh, in Sub-Saharan Africa, we may work in the human food, poultry and aquaculture space. If that opportunity exists in Latin America, we are only working in the human food space. Um, the US Soybean Export Council will work, uh, in those other sectors, but we really look at where, uh, there's an opportunity for growth in the maturity of that market sector as to where we work. Um, so we've had a lot of focus in east and West Africa. Most recently we've expanded into Southern Africa looking at aquaculture, um, as well as poultry. Um, also have done a lot of work in Cambodia on the aquaculture industry, uh, and more recently have looked at moving into Kazakhstan. Um, there's a growing demand for poultry, uh, feed there. Uh, so it's a new market for us.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
And can you speak to, um, like, and this is off the, the outline. This is me just adding a follow up. Um, can you, like, what, what made, what was the driving factor to look at those locations versus, you know, another part of the world?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Right. So we, uh, have a lot of different information that comes in. Um, we talk to USDA and their Foreign Ag Service, um, offices around the world. And we do our own market assessments. Maybe we think that a certain, uh, country or sector or region has, you know, an opportunity. Um, so we'll do it a market assessment, see where that opportunity exists, what the challenges are, uh, and then we look for funding to kind of address, um, those market challenges and see where we can, um, provide those technical resources and training. Um, so sometimes it works out. Sometimes we find a market that's not quite ready, um, for investment. Um, and other times we see where we can jump right in and start connecting, um, the dots and resources to entrepreneurs, um, and companies that are in those, those markets.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Right. A lot of logistics that go into that and making those things happen. And we're gonna dive into some of those specifics of how Gena and the wish group, you know, try to build those different, uh, markets around the world. You know, I have a dairy background, is Wish working with other agricultural commodities to help on those protein gaps.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So we, um, have expanded, uh, you know, we've always worked with different entities, whether they're US based or, um, in the countries in which we work. Um, and we're constantly having conversations, um, with other organizations, with other companies that are working towards a common goal. How can we find synergies to help, um, us work together, which is really good at what we do, but we're also not experts in everything. So finding other organizations that can compliment the work we're doing. Um, historically we've worked really well with US Brains Council. Um, obviously on the feed side, uh, they're doing a lot of work with feed internationally. Um, but we're also looking at other, you know, corporations and businesses that we can work with. Esia Nutrition is a good example of that. They are based in Rhode Island and they make ready to use therapeutic, um, foods and supplemental foods to treat acute malnutrition. Um, so we connect with, we connected with them about a year, uh, two years ago. Um, and they use US soy in their product. They also use, um, dairy, uh, corn, peanuts, um, from US producers. Um, so we have been working with them on, for their research, um, and see this as a way to get us soy into countries that, you know, wouldn't exist otherwise. 'cause they're, they're shipping their product into, um, over 70 countries around the world.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Can you speak to why the work that you do is a win-win for farmers? So
Speaker 2 (07:09):
US farmers are producing a sustainable, reliable, high quality crop. Um, and there's a lot of challenges that exist around the world when it comes to food security. So through the work that we're doing as well as many other organizations, um, we're able to get that high quality nutritious crop, um, whether it's through feed or through isolates or concentrates and into human food, um, around the world. So this creates new markets for US farmers, um, and it also helps address those, uh, food security challenges that exist around the world.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And now we're gonna dive into, you know, how does wish build these markets, which is really interesting to me. Gena, can you walk us through, how do you go about building different markets around the world?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Right. So I mentioned kind of our first step of a market assessment. Um, once we, uh, pass that step and decide to invest in a market, um, we, uh, work through, uh, state and national soy checkoff funding as well as U SDA funding. They have traditional market development funding as well as non-traditional, um, which are more development style, um, like their Food for Progress program. Um, and then we identify entities, both public, private, um, partnerships, as well as working with government, um, to help build a full value chain approach. So oftentimes we work with local entrepreneurs and companies that are, have identified, uh, a challenge, um, in their market. And then we help connect technical resources training, um, to them so that they can provide a local solution for that challenge. Um, every uh, key partner and strategic partner we work with is different because they have different needs.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
They're at different levels of maturity, um, within their own company and their, their, you know, market sector. Um, so we make sure that we're providing, um, sustainable solutions for them and for so, and solutions that help really meet that challenge. Um, so each approach is unique. Um, and I'll use, uh, Cambodia as an example. So we recently, well, five years ago, implemented a USDA Food for Progress, um, aquaculture project there. Uh, and that is your more traditional development style funding, a lot of capacity building, but it was focused on building up the local aquaculture value chain. So right, right now in previously a lot of fish was imported from Vietnam and Cambodia wanted to make sure that they could produce enough fish to feed their own population. Um, so we invested, um, well USDA through which invested funding to look at how to produce more efficiently, um, new technologies, Thater juice, uh, connecting those within the value chain.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
So front producers to aggregators to those in the market. Also working with consumers to know, to educate them on how, um, you know, locally produced Cambodian fish is safe and affordable. Um, and then we also worked on building an association, so the Cambodian Aqua Agriculturist Association. Um, so as a member, as part of a a hundred year old association, a s a, we know the value that associations play in developing marketing market. Excuse me. We know the value that associations play in developing agricultural value chains. Um, so the c a A has grown to over 900 members that represent producers, um, feed input suppliers, um, you know, pretty much anyone across the value chain. And they have built a really great relationship with the Ministry of Aquaculture, um, and providing, you know, policy and, um, educational feedback, uh, that will help grow their value chain.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
So we see this as a sustainability measure. Um, for these projects, generally these projects are only five years. We actually get a two year, um, merit-based extension for the project. Um, so we hope that once the project funding ends, the CAA is able to help carry on the technical training and the education, um, piece of that. Um, alongside the Food for Progress, we've also been able to leverage national and state checkoff funding, um, as well as some other USDA funding to complement that work that we're doing. So we see that there's new technology, um, that's ready to be introduced in, into Cambodia, like floating and pond raceway systems that helps contain, um, the fish and they're able to produce more in a concentrated area and able to better monitor the feed. Um, and so we've been able to leverage other funding to implement those type of technologies, um, alongside the Food for Progress.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Gena, in just a few minutes, you told us a lot. What's the timeline? So once you find that, hey, this is an area we're gonna work with, is it a year? What, how long, you know, what's the timeline with developing and getting from start to finish and making sure it's a success?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Well, that's a great question. 'cause it, there's not a standard answer. It really just depends on the value chain itself. Um, there's a lot of challenges that exist in developing emerging markets, whether it's access to capital infrastructure, um, cold chains, you know, development, um, access to better feed and management practices. Um, so we are really the long term, um, development arm of US soy, meaning that we're in it for the long haul. Sometimes market segments take 5, 10, 15 years to really get to a point where they're, um, consistently, uh, importing US soy. Um, and a lot of it is that our markets are extremely price sensitive. So price, um, is really what drives, um, purchasing decisions. And so that's something that we help, you know, if we can help, um, guide those companies on better management practices and helping improve their bottom line and they're more able to economically, uh, import us soy that's higher quality, but often, you know, costs a little bit more. Um, so it really just depends on the market sector, but we know that continued investment, um, and relationship building in, in these markets will help drive the creation of these value chains.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
And like you mentioned, all these markets have different challenges. Is there any common challenges that you have noticed?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Well, I think, like I mentioned, the price sensitivity, um, piece of it is, is a huge challenge, um, across the world. Um, and then logistically in some places it's, it's easier and quicker, um, to get soy from maybe South America, um, than it is from the us. Um, we also see that access to finance is a really big challenge, um, more so in sub-Saharan Africa, but it exists, um, elsewhere, especially relative to, you know, interest rates in the us. Um, in West Africa, uh, alone, interest rate can be anywhere from 30 to 40%. Um-huh <affirmative>. So it just doesn't, the math doesn't add up when you start, um, doing, doing it mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and so that's something, you know, I I think a lot of people are looking at that, um, challenge because it not only affects agriculture, affects, you know, all economic growth. Um, and so that's been a huge challenge. And then lack of, of cold storage as well. So, um, being able to have, you know, a consistent cold storage, uh, for fish or for poultry and, you know, high quality, um, food safety practices, um, that's also been a challenge, but something that we also work on, um, throughout all of our markets.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Right. And you need a diverse team to be doing all those different things, um, to help develop, develop, uh, markets. From your experience in the last five years, years, what has been the main focus and where has most of your time been spent?
Speaker 2 (14:56):
So when WISHH was founded over 20 years ago, there was a large focus on the human food side, um, and human health. Um, and while we still focus on that, um, especially through food security, we've always worked in food security, but it's more of a, a hot topic now. Um, in the last probably seven to nine years, we've shifted into feed as well, um, because there's been, you know, a growing demand for animal protein, poultry, aquaculture, swine. Um, and so that's been a really big focus for us. Um, aquaculture has been a really big focus. So fish is already a culturally appropriate consumed protein source across much of the world. Um, so it's not like we're trying to introduce, you know, tofu into, um, Southern Africa. Mm-hmm. People are already eating fish. Um, and, you know, because of the dwindling stocks and wild caught, you know, people see aquaculture as kind of a more sustainable production practice.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Um, so we recently updated our, uh, global aquaculture strategy to make sure that we're, you know, capturing the opportunity there and, and implementing aquaculture, um, growth in a way that is sustainable and that makes sense, um, based on the location. So, you know, some, some, uh, countries we may implement certain technologies while we know other markets aren't quite ready for that. So what is the next technology we can introduce there to make sure that we're helping them grow their, their value chain and addressing kind of those local, um, challenges. So yeah, aquaculture's been a really big focus, um, as well as feed. Um, and so we've spent a lot of time in, in West Africa and East Africa and like I said, um, in Cambodia, um, and then branching out more into other Asian markets as well.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Well, well Gena, you are a very busy lady. <laugh>. We are talking with Gena Perry. She's the executive director of the World Initiative for Soy and Human Health, also known as WISHH. Last question as we wrap up this episode. What trends will you be keeping an eye on and any recommendations on what farmers should be keeping an eye on?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, so I think population growth, I mean, we saw, uh, you know, the world surpass, uh, a new population number back in November. Um, but we're seeing a lot of that growth happening in Sub-Saharan Africa. Um, there's gonna be a record number of youth on the continent, um, by 2050 and I'm sure probably now it's gonna be before that over half the population is gonna be under 18 on the continent. So that's a lot of, um, young, hopefully, uh, future agriculturalists, um, that are, are wanting to invest their careers into some sort of, uh, what some part of the value chain. Um, but it's also a lot more mouths to feed and a lot more protein that's gonna be demand being demanded. Um, we're also seeing overall, you know, incomes are, are rising, um, and typically as income rises people start demanding more protein, whether that's through animals, um, or other, uh, plant-based alternatives.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
We're seeing a lot of investment into, um, human food and beverages in Latin America, um, with soy, uh, isolates and concentrates. Um, so that seems to be a growing, uh, growing, uh, area. And I mentioned aquaculture. Aquaculture continues to to grow exponentially around the world. Um, and I think farmers just need to understand that there is opportunity in a lot of these markets that aren't as mature, but it is going to take a little bit longer. You're not gonna see immediate results, you know, tomorrow or next year. Um, but know that there are people that are, are, are, that understand the value of US soy and know that it's high quality, um, and that we're working to help build their capacity and their businesses and their bottom line so that they're, you know, economically available to, uh, import US wine in the future.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Right. We've heard so much dialogue on a global market and US farmers are definitely a player in that game. And it's great that we have programs like WISHH that are helping us get into these different areas so that what we do really good here in the United States, we can share that around the world. If you wanna learn more about the World Initiative for Soy and Human Health, head on over to WISHH.org. You can also follow WISHH on YouTube. We'll put a link in the description so it's really easy for you to access. We also invite you to subscribe to Farm Food Facts as we keep you connected to the leading minds like Gena in agriculture. We appreciate you and your time for listening. I'm Joanna Guza for Farm Food Facts. All right, Gina, what'd you think?