Monday Mar 25,2013
09:30 pm in Malawai 2:30 pm in ILLinois

Met today with  permanent staff of the 2 volunteer organizations, CNFA,  and ACD VOCA, as well as the host client,ACE(African Commodity Exchange).

ACE is trying bring an organized bid offer exchange for cash grains into a more robust organization.  It is spending efforts on 3  grain warehouses.  Two of these are fairly close to Lilongwe, the capitol of Malawai, and one is about 3 hours south.   The 3 wareshouses have gone through some training of staff, which I will learn more about tomoro.  On Wednesday and Thursday I will be visiting two of the warehouses.  

Goal is to help assure depositors(dealers and producers) that product that they deliver will be protected physically and to assure bankers and buyers that the product they buy will meet a standardized specs.  Will get into more tomoro.  Looking forward to learning farmer and association attitudes regarding the effectiveness of the exchange.  Will also do projection on the feasability of more space for these warehouses.   One of the Gates organizations is considering some financing of addl space.

Lilongwe is a city of just under a million people.  As noted, it is the capital and as such has many government employees and NGOs at work.   As a side lite, Madonna statyed at a place about 5 miles outside of town when she came here to do her adoption. 

We are at a bed and breakfast type of place---relaxed and roomy--mosquito nets and all.