War, Pandemic, and Plantains: One Man's Mission to End Food Insecurity with Nony Mbaezue (USA)

The Business of Life with Dr King

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What happens when architectural expertise meets agricultural innovation? Noni Mbezwe's powerful personal story begins with childhood experiences during the Nigeria-Biafra war, where he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of malnutrition on children and nursing mothers. This formative experience, coupled with observations during the COVID-19 pandemic that revealed dangerous vulnerabilities in global food supply chains, led him to establish Century Grain Consortium.
With operations spanning multiple continents, Century Grain Consortium takes a unique approach to food security. Rather than simply addressing immediate hunger, they've developed a sustainable model that transforms the entire agricultural ecosystem. By partnering with promising small and medium-sized businesses that have demonstrated commitment to the food and agriculture space, they provide crucial market access and capital that allows these operations to scale. Their fintech platform specifically targets youth and women farmers across Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, creating pathways to financial inclusion previously unavailable.
The consortium's work addresses multiple pain points in the agricultural value chain: reducing post-harvest losses through processing that extends shelf life; eliminating middlemen to ensure fair compensation for farmers; guaranteeing purchases through offtake agreements; and enhancing nutritional value during processing. Projects like their plantain processing facility in Cameroon exemplify their approach—converting what would be wasted produce into export-ready products while creating sustainable jobs and improving local livelihoods. With plans to go public within five years and strategic partnerships with social impact investors, Century Grain Consortium is positioned to reshape how we think about agriculture, food security, and sustainability across developing regions.
Whether you're passionate about food security, interested in sustainable business models, or curious about agricultural innovation, this conversation offers valuable insights into how one company is working to ensure that underserved communities gain access to nutritious food while building economic opportunity. Subscribe to learn more about transformative approaches to global challenges and the inspiring leaders behind them.

Music, lyrics, guitar and singing by Dr Ariel Rosita King
Teach me to live one day at a time
with courage love and a sense of pride.
Giving me the ability to love and accept myself
so I can go and give it to someone else.
Teach me to live one day at a time.....

The Business of Life
Dr Ariella (Ariel) Rosita King
Original Song, "Teach Me to Live one Day At A Time"
written, guitar and vocals by Dr. Ariel Rosita King
Dr King Solutions (USA Office)
1629 K St, NW #300,
Washington, DC 20006, USA,
[phone]
[email protected]
DrKingSolutions.com

Chapters

1. War, Pandemic, and Plantains: One Man's Mission to End Food Insecurity with Nony Mbaezue (USA) (00:00:00)

2. Meet Noni Mbezwe and Century Grain (00:01:14)

3. War Experience and Food Security Mission (00:05:13)

4. Addressing Post-Harvest Losses and Nutrition (00:08:03)

5. Leadership Team and Global Partnerships (00:13:34)

6. Future Growth and Making Farming Attractive (00:18:28)

7. Contact Information and Closing Thoughts (00:24:58)