A program run by the American Soybean Association is helping businesses in developing and emerging markets around the world become more attractive to investors — and in doing so, building a stronger global customer base for U.S. soybean farmers.
The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health, known as WISHH, works alongside business partners across the supply chain — from feed mills and fisheries companies to food processors and crushers — to help them secure the financing they need to grow. For many of these businesses, landing an investment is a critical first step toward becoming reliable, long-term buyers of U.S. soybeans.
WISHH connects entrepreneurs and business leaders with financial experts and investment advisors who teach them what lenders and investors expect, how to present their businesses effectively, and how to build growth strategies that attract outside funding. The goal is to create financially sound, resilient companies capable of sustaining demand for U.S. soy over the long haul.
In Cambodia, WISHH teamed up with advisory firm LixCap to deliver training aimed at improving access to financing for aquaculture businesses. Participants gained hands-on skills in financial management, business planning, and communicating growth potential to prospective partners. WISHH is also continuing broader efforts to strengthen aquaculture supply chains in the region that can increasingly depend on U.S. soy.
A similar approach is being applied across programs in Africa, where growing poultry, aquaculture, livestock, and food-processing industries are creating new demand for working capital and expansion financing. WISHH’s financial readiness training helps partners learn how to work with lending institutions, put together investment pitches, and manage cash flow. Some of these partners have already purchased U.S. soy, and the training helps them develop solid growth plans that can hold up under market pressures. Feed mills, producers, technical advisers, and crushers are also included in the training sessions, and many of the partners attend buyers’ conferences alongside WISHH.
WISHH Executive Director Gena Perry noted that U.S. soybean growers who support the program often play a direct role in its outcomes.
“We have had WISHH committee members speak directly to some of our partners over the years. Regardless of the sector and country, farmers on both sides understand the value of the dollar and the large undertaking of investment,” Perry said. “That’s why U.S. growers have spoken directly to our partners about their own on-farm management and the importance of smartly scaling-up businesses.”
The underlying logic is straightforward: a business that successfully secures financing can buy more feed ingredients, expand its production capacity, and serve a larger customer base. As those businesses grow, their need for protein-rich soy tends to grow right along with them.
