Baobab in supermarket

Baobab on the supermarket shelf in Europe! According to 'OneWorld.nl', the baobab - the remarkable African tree - offers opportunities for Africa.

The fruit of the baobab supplies ingredients for foods such as muesli bars, fruit drinks and cosmetics. The tree is climate proof and is ideal for a sustainable harvest. PhytoTrade, a non-profit trade organization and exporter of products from the baobab, is eager to approach the Western markets.  

Most Western consumers are familiar with the African baobab tree or of the beautiful pictures in travel brochures. You can also eat the baobab, however, the use of baobab cosmetics is less known. "The fruit of the baobab can be relatively easily processed into a white powder, which is rich in vitamins. This powder can be used as an ingredient in the food industry," explains Gus Le Breton, chief executive of PhytoTrade. Examples include fruit drinks and muesli bars. "In addition, the fruit of long-life oils in cosmetics can be processed as well. Some ingredients of the baobab tree are already sold in several western retail chains."

Baobab against poverty
The beauty of baobab is that the tree is widespread in southern Africa, Madagascar and sub Saharan Africa. The trees are there for many years and no action is required or additional planting should be done. The tree goes perfectly with the dry climate provides large fruits. Poorer farmers, mostly women, can benefit from the cultivation of the baobab fruits. The farmers do not need to purchase equipment for the fruit to grow. Already more than 29,000 poor farmers have built a life in the baobab industry, of which 93% are women. PhytoTrade estimates that the total income will grow from 544,000 U.S. dollars in 2007, to $ 20,000,000 in 2017.

Durable
Looking for an alternative is very important for African farmers.  Le Breton: "Farmers are faced by the international market forced crops, which are not fit for the African soil, like corn." Because the climate is too dry, the crops fail and is often the farmer with nothing. If the harvest is successful, farmers have to deal with stiff competition from non-African world where crops grow better. The risks are high and yields are not always worth it.

The harvest of baobab is guaranteed and therefore socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. It uses existing vegetation, so it will not be affected or destroyed. Le Breton: "environmental abuses, such as the palm oil industry, are virtually excluded because the baobab is not converted can be in the form of plantations. The trees in southern Africa are not common property, but traditional family property. They cannot be traded, which makes massive and illegal expropriation of land very difficult. "

Finally, the Baobab tree is a charismatic and a famous symbol of Africa. "This makes the baobab suitable for marketing. Everyone knows the tree, now they have to get familiar with its products." More information can be found athttp://www.phytotradeafrica.com  

Published on 10 March 2010