Peanuts for the people

In the 30 years since its invention the ready to use therapeutic food Plumpy'nut has saved the lives of millions of children and protected countless others from the effects of malnutrition. Jewel Kiriungi explores its orgins and onging legacy.

But the story of how it transformed treating the world's starving children is one of both persistence and inspiration. The brainchild of two Frenchmen; Doctor Andre Briend and Michel Lescanne, a food processing engineer, they set out to put the power to feed children back into the hands of parents. With the help of organisations like UNICEF they created a system of manufacture and distribution that would not only feed the hungry but benefit the economies of the countries where Plumpy'nut was needed.

Presenter: Jewel Kiriungi
Producer: Peter McManus
Executive Producer: Steven Hobson