Remarkable tree offers commercial opportunities
The baobab only grows in Southern Africa. It is a sacred tree for various tribes. Thanks to Hivos partner PhytoTrade the baobab now offers commercial opportunities to poor farmers. This non-profit trade organisation was given a permit in 2008 to sell baobab fruit to the EU.
The objective of PhytoTrade is to realise long term, fair trade of sustainable products by small farmers – better products for a better world. The organisation represents fifty producers from eight countries in Southern Africa with a total of 18,000 members. Exporting processed and unprocessed baobab fruit on a large scale is its goal. In its South-African plant it grinds the fruit to a powder full of vitamins and minerals for the food industry, including muesli bars and juices. Another way in which baobab fruit is processed, is by pressing oil from it that can be used to produce cosmetics.
Nature conservation
Over 29,000 small farmers (93 percent of which are female) live from the boabab industry. PhytoTrade director Gus le Breton: ‘Many farmers in Southern Africa are still producing crops such as corn. These are not suitable for the dry climate. Because of this, crops often fail. And if they are successful, there is still fierce competition from other farmers in areas where corn grows more naturally. Baobab trees, however, are unique in this region and are very successful on dry soil. Harvesting does not require complex methods or expensive machines. The trees already grow everywhere, so nature can be conserved. Nothing will have to be destroyed or planted for this purpose. Baobabs are traditionally considered as family possessions, which will prevent large-scale and illegal land repossession.'
Fair income
Le Breton is confident that the Western food and cosmetics industry will welcome baobab with open arms. ‘Some retail chains are already selling baobab products. If it is up to us, the total income of boabab farmers will increase from 544,000 US dollars in 2007 to 20 million US dollars in 2017.' As to the quality requirements (such as: no pesticides), these are now being met. One of the most important challenges for PhytoTrade is to make sure that there will be enough supply to meet the expected demand. In addition, a good price needs to be set for baobab products. Low enough to reach a large market. But high enough to offer a fair income to small farmers.
For more information about PhytoTrade visit
www.phytotradeafrica.com
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