Ardent Mills is joining Partners in Food Solutions as a corporate partner. The Minneapolis-based non-profit group connects corporate volunteers with small and growing food businesses in eight African countries in an effort to improve food security, nutrition and economic development across Africa.

“Our social responsibility efforts are focused on ending hunger and educating people on the value of grains to a healthy, balanced diet in the communities where we live and work across North America,” says Dan Dye, chief executive officer of Denver-based Ardent Mills. “By joining hands with Partners in Food Solutions, we are expanding our reach with these efforts on a truly international scale. We are all about nourishing what’s next and engaging our team members in helping others.”

Partners in Food Solutions believes that strengthening the processing sector of the local food system may create a ripple effect of stable markets for smallholder farmers, job growth and more nutritious food available for consumers. Volunteers from Ardent Mills will connect with African client businesses to provide technical and business expertise. The five-year-old Partners in Food Solutions has helped more than 700 food companies through training or consulting projects in Kenya, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi and Nigeria.

“Africa is home to more than 1.2 billion people, and that population is expected to double to 2.4 billion by 2050,” says Jeff Dykstra, c.e.o. of Partners in Food Solutions. “Harnessing the growing private sector can have a significant impact on increasing food security across the continent for a rapidly growing population.”

Other corporate partners include General Mills, Inc., Cargill, Royal DSM, Bühler and The Hershey Co.