(Stillwater, Okla. – July 30, 2013) An Oklahoma State University faculty member will travel to Bamako, Mali, in August as a volunteer expert with a United States Agency for International Development-supported project implemented by ACDI/VOCA, a nonprofit development organization, with partner Winrock International.

Patricia Rayas-Duarte, cereal chemist for the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center will be a volunteer cereal-based infant food specialist in Mali for the Mali Agricultural Value Enhancement Network (MAVEN) project, which provides solutions and support to improve Malian agriculture. During her Aug. 10-24 trip, Rayas will assist Danaya Cereals Bamako, a food manufacturing company.

“Our collaboration will address a very important issue worldwide, which is the production of food for infants and children with enhanced nutritional value,” Rayas said. “This effort ranks among the top five on my list of projects I love to do.”

Rayas said she hopes to make a difference during her time in Mali.

“We will provide technical support by exploring possibilities for sustainable and affordable raw materials that could be included as key ingredients for products that meet the nutritional needs of the targeted population,” Rayas said. “We will also assist with training and planning to achieve short and long-term development goals. At its core, we will provide support of value-added activities for a cluster of industries.”

While Rayas has participated in various international projects, she said this is her first time working with ACDI/VOCA and USAID.

“This is the first ACDI/VOCA and USAID project I have participated on and the first one in Africa,” Rayas said. “During my 16 years at Oklahoma State, I have joined numerous international projects focused on supporting the marketing efforts of U.S. wheat and research and extension projects related to cereal quality and technology.”

Fellow Oklahoma State faculty member, Barbara Stoecker in nutritional sciences will accompany Rayas on this experience.

“Barbara Stoecker has a wealth of experience with similar project activities in different countries in Africa,” Rayas said.

Although her time in Mali is only two weeks, Rayas has spent multiple weeks planning beforehand, and the intent of this project is relevant to any business involved in the food industry.

“This project addresses the same goals of any food enterprise in Oklahoma – produce safe food, thrive as a business, achieve continuous improvement and hopefully make a difference in the lives of the community/society it serves,” Rayas said.

The MAVEN program makes a positive impact on Mali’s food security and economic growth by improving production, processing, storage and marketing of select agricultural crops, enhancing farmers’ business management skills and increasing access to quality inputs and finance.

ACDI/VOCA has 40 years of experience sending professionals overseas as volunteer consultants providing technical assistance with field projects in agribusiness, enterprise development, community development, food security and financial services.

Interested in volunteering or knowing more about ACDI/VOCA’s programs? Visit www.acdivoca.org.

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Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system of interdisciplinary programs that prepares students for success. OSU is America’s Brightest Orange. Through leadership and service, OSU is preparing students for a bright future and building a brighter world for all. As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 24,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 245,000 students to serve Oklahoma, the nation and the world.