Salif Niang is working to revolutionize the rice industry in Mali, establishing a model for improving the livelihood of smallscale farmers upon which much of Africa depends.
“In late 2012, we were the first venture in Africa to market locally grown fortified rice to consumers and we are currently building a processing center that will transform rice grown by farmer cooperatives into nutritious rice,” says Niang, who founded Malô SARL with his brother Mohamed
“In addition, we are final-izing a comprehensive branding, marketing, and advocacy campaign designed to grow with Mali’s youthful population and spread knowledge about the importance of farmers, nutrition, and the environment.”
Niang, is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Political Science at Purdue University where his research and teaching has centered around national power, conflict, governance, the gap between rich and poor nations, and social entrepreneurship as the 21st century approach to wealth and stability.
He says his decision to return to Mali – where an Islamist insurrection has thrown new question marks over stability and security in a key part of Africa — was driven by the desire to put these ideas into practice and to “impact the world meaningfully and measurably.”
Niang has received prizes and awards at competitions such as the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition, the Pace Pitch Contest, Temple University’s Be Your Own Boss Bowl, and the Dell Social Innovation Competition. He is also a founder and board member of Tambaroua Business Farming.