The province of **Misiones** took a strategic step in strengthening its [food industry](https://noticiasambientales.com/residuos/el-iceberg-del-desperdicio-millones-de-toneladas-de-alimentos-terminan-en-la-basura-cada-ano/) by creating the **Misiones Value-Added Network (RedVAM)**, a collaborative structure aimed at **assisting entrepreneurs, SMEs, and local producers** in the design, prototyping, and validation of innovative foods made with **local raw materials**.
Driven by the **provincial Ministry of Industry**, the network arises in response to a recurring difficulty: the **transition from idea to development at scale** and the **commercial sustainability of agri-food ventures**.
“RedVAM leverages infrastructure installed in local companies, which reduces costs, accelerates start-up, and strengthens public-private partnerships,” explained from the Ministry.
## What RedVAM proposes
The initiative has the following specific objectives:
– Providing technical assistance in the **design of innovative food products**
– Strengthening **local production with available equipment**
– Validating products before their commercial launch
– Developing **fortified foods** for vulnerable school populations
The technical team of RedVAM is composed of professionals from the Ministry of Industry, with scientific support from **INAHE- [CONICET Misiones](https://www.conicet.gov.ar/tag/misiones/)**, and works with inputs such as:
– Yerba mate and tea
– Cassava (roots and starch)
– Tropical fruits and mushrooms
– [Sugarcane](https://noticiasambientales.com/innovacion/primera-prueba-mundial-que-convierte-la-cana-de-azucar-en-energia-limpia/)
The developed foods comply with current legal frameworks and are intended for **local and national shelves**, generating **added value at the source** and expanding the market for products from Misiones.
## Strategic actors and productive cases
RedVAM collaborates with multiple cooperatives and companies:
– **Montecarlo Citrus**, **KLM**, **Proteínas Mitaí**: development of nutritious beverages and dehydrated products
– **CAISA**, **Coop. Ganadera de Gob. Roca**, **Flor de Jardín**, **MamaYuca**: frozen cassava, premixes, gluten-free products
– **Cooperativa de Almafuerte**, **Nossa Terra**, **IMIBIO**: transformation of fruits and mushrooms focusing on biodiversity
– **Coop. Agrícola de Mojón Grande**: innovation with unrefined sugar
Additionally, the network aims at **specific projects of fortified school foods**, such as:
– **Nutritious bars with unrefined sugar**
– **Cookies and premixes with cassava starch**
– Enriched with **iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, fibers, and quality proteins**
## Target audience and projection
The proposal is aimed at:
– Food entrepreneurs and startups
– Agro-industrial SMEs
– Producers interested in diversifying
– Researchers and developers
– Investors and venture capital companies
“RedVAM consolidates a **productive model based on innovation**, sustainability, and value at the source. Misiones positions itself as a key player in the national food industry,” concluded from the Ministry.
