Agri View, a start up The Mozambican company, co-founded by Rui Bauhofer and Joaquim Rebelo, has created a dish model that promises to change the paradigm of how we think about reuse and waste.

According to the NdzilaInspired by an innovation in Latin America where utensils are made from pineapple husks, Agri View turned its attention to Mozambique and set out to reuse discarded corn husks.

By adapting the process on home soil, from 2022, the result will be Eco-Plates - biodegradable dishes in which seeds are incorporated (basil, coriander, lettuce and tomatoes) that germinate as the material degrades. The degradation process takes up to six weeks.

"These dishes not only reduce waste, but also generate a possible commercial crop when they are discarded, contributing to the food security of small farmers," reads the publication we quote.

The project is still in the development phase, but it is already seeing benefits in the production chain, starting with corn producers who are already feeling some changes in their financial situation, being able to sell material (husks) that used to be burned.

Agri View intends to expand its operations and take the Eco-Plates to international markets in Europe, Asia and America, as well as expanding its presence across the African continent. The team also sees potential for the plates to serve as a humanitarian aid tool in regions affected by natural disasters, providing an additional food resource for stricken farmers.

In fact, the project is one of the 16 finalist projects chosen to compete this year for a prize of 60 thousand pounds in the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, Royal Academy Engineering, United Kingdom.