MSMEs Mini-Dictionary
Key business and nutrition terms, in plain language.
A quick-reference glossary for agrifood MSME founders and teams. No jargon, just clear meaning.
Terms and meanings
MSME
Micro, small, and medium enterprise. A way of grouping businesses by size, staff, and turnover.
Value Addition
Turning a raw material into a more useful or higher-value product, for example processing grain into fortified flour.
Fortification
Adding vitamins or minerals to a food to raise its nutrition value.
Reformulation
Changing a product recipe to improve nutrition, safety, cost, or quality.
Nutrient Retention
How much of a food nutrition value survives processing, storage, and cooking.
Food Safety
Making sure food does not cause harm through contamination, poor handling, or spoilage.
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A system for finding and controlling food safety risks.
Shelf Life
How long a product stays safe and good to use under normal storage.
Traceability
Being able to track where ingredients and products came from and where they went.
Unit Economics
The profit or loss on a single unit of product once all its direct costs are counted.
Gross Margin
What is left from a sale after the direct cost of making the product, before other expenses.
Working Capital
The money a business needs to run day to day, such as stock, wages, and supplies.
Investment Readiness
How prepared a business is to receive and use funding, with records, evidence, and a clear plan.
Offtake Agreement
A commitment from a buyer to purchase an agreed quantity of product, often ahead of production.
Nutrition-Sensitive
An approach that considers nutrition outcomes in how products, programs, or policies are designed.