#7 Sithuli Mbeje - on mobile abattoirs, bringing processing closer to home and doing what needs to be done

In Episode 1, disruptive thinker and author Efosa Ojomo highlighted that the potential for prosperity in Africa lies in finding solutions to persistent problems and in doing so, creating new markets.

In this episode, we shine a light on Sithuli Mbeje's journey to developing a mobile abattoir - his response to the problems faced by livestock farmers across Africa when they want to convert their cows to meat. In graphic details he outlines the different steps involved in this process, both in the large industrial abattoirs, as well as his much smaller and compact roving mobile unit.

In our conversation he speaks about what gave him the idea for a mobile abattoir, how it fits into his philosophy on food waste and food security and how it is still possible to create value even if you do not follow a linear growth model. He highlights how mobile abattoirs can also serve an important role during outbreaks in foot and mouth disease, a recurring problem across many countries in Africa, as well as in conservation projects that rely on collaborative efforts between farmers and conservation agencies.

He speaks of his drive to combine knowledge gained from years in the food processing and retail space with his understanding of food practices back home in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to create new food processes and systems to ensure a more sustainable meat supply chain across Africa.

For more information on Sithuli Mbeje, visit his page on the AfricanOptimist website, where you can find his bio, show notes and episode transcript.

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