The Proimpex company, based in Madagascar and run by Dr. Harinaly Andrianjafy, was named runner-up for the EMRC-Rabobank Project Incubator Award in 2009.
The project was selected as one of the 5 finalists because of its innovative and ground-breaking approach to business and development. The aim of the Proimpex project is to produce alcohol to cook instead of using the more traditional method of burning coal. In order to do this, the alcohol stove known as ‘Fatana’ was created.
Two years after presenting his project at the AgriBusiness Forum, EMRC International spoke with Dr Harinaly Andrianjafy to find out how his nomination helped his business and what are his future goals.
EMRC: Please give us a short description of your business and project and a brief history of why and when you set this up.
Harinaly Andrianjafy: The company’s concept focuses on utilizing alcohol and/or alcoholic solutions of no less than 50% alcohol content as a substitute for domestic fuel. Most people still use wood, fagots, charcoal, butane, propane gas and kerosene types of fuels as a source of energy for cooking in countries such as Madagascar.
The business was established around an innovative way to cook by using non-traditional methods. There are two key elements to the business:
- Manufacturing and distribution of the alcohol stoves ‘Fatana’
- Transfer of the ‘know how’ related to the manufacturing of this alcohol. This know-how focuses on the production of the vegetable biomass and of its bio-combustible (45% to 60 % alcohol water solution)
The business was established based on results from the research project,‘Improving Indoor air pollution in the Malagasy home especially in the ruralareas’. The R&D for the project was financially supported by IDA (World Bank)from 2005, the very first ‘trials’ applications of the project in three (3) regionsof Madagascar were financially supported by the UNIDO in 2007-8.
From there on, my company known as ‘Société Proimpex Agro-Industrie’ (SPAI) in collaboration with a local foundation, called ‘Fondation Tany Meva’, established a local product based on the results, named ‘Project Fatana Ol’.
EMRC: How did your nomination for the Project Incubator Award affect your business prospective?
HA: The Award’s most important achievement for us and most useful factor was that it facilitated my contacts and allowed my project to go global – I made global contacts at the AgriBusiness Forum.
EMRC: The AgriBusiness Forum focuses on providing an environment for business interaction. Did you establish some partnerships and if so what was achieved?
HA: Yes, I definitely made business contacts. I established partnerships with:
- ‘Pamoja Ltd.’, Kampala, Uganda,
- ‘Associacion Civil 23 De Abril’, Formosa, Argentina,
Both of these partnerships are in the final stages of collaboration-contract. A mission to Argentina is already on the agenda for early February 2012.
EMRC: How important is it for Small and Medium Enterprises throughout Africa to attend forums such as the ones organized by EMRC International.
HA: It is indeed vital for small businesses concerned to attend a forum such as those organized by EMRC International: for it is an efficient means to learn and to put forward the company to a global audience.
EMRC: What goals have you set for the project for the next 5 years?
HA: I have moved to Canada in order to:
- Adapt the ‘handicraft’ type of manufacturing process of the alcohol stoves ‘fatana’ for a more appropriate ‘mass production’ type of manufacturing process to allow the project to go global.
- Work in collaboration with a Canadian company and to take advantage of the Canadian Government’s industrial incentives policy to promote businesses.
The company’s goals for the next 5 years are to insure full implantation of the project:
- In Argentina and eventually in some of the neighboring Latin American countries.
- In Uganda and eventually in some neighbouring sub-Saharan East African countries.