Carole Sacca and Laurent Adinsi, PhD working respectively on ready to drink akpan and gowe flour presented the improvements done in the frame of the AFTER project to more than 40 people, including 20 producers, representatives from 14 Beninese SMEs. Some selected steps have been the subject of practical workshops (akpan cooking and packaging, reconstitution of gowe from gowe flour). The floor has then been given to SMEs to give feedbacks, ask questions and share opinions about potential partnerships.

It has been a really good occasion to stress the interests that private sector (SMEs) and research have in common. The richness of the discussions which took place in the meeting and debates all testify of the movement begun and invites to think about a more structured collaboration between all the actors of food processing field.