Villagers living well on the baobab trees
children and grandchildren from her earnings.
Elisa Phaswana, 59, who has been nurturing a single one-metre-high sapling – protected from goats by a makeshift fence – for the past two years, said the baobab guardian programme had alleviated poverty in the community.
“It helps the environment and it helps us, especially because there is little to no work for us and our children in our village. I get about R320 (RM89.30) per centimetre.”
Sarah Venter, an ecologist who runs the Ecoproducts company behind the baobab cultivation, said the scheme rewarded women for their skills and care.
“They get paid a certain amount until the tree reaches three metres high, and after that it will live for 1,000 years.
“It has a value chain where everybody benefits, including a rural person picking up something that’s already in their environment and getting an income for it.”
The tree can take up to 200 years to bear fruit, but watering them every day can see that time reduced to 30 years. A tree then produces fruit annually for nearly 200 years.
Historically credited with mythical and spiritual powers in African folklore, the baobab is known as the ‘upside down tree’, as its branches look like roots.
Fruit like goji and acai berries, pomegranate, cantaloupe and now baobab fruit are described as superfoods by some nutritionists because of their high levels of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
“Baobab is one of the highest vitamin C containing fruits. There’s natural antioxidants, some vitamin E and various plant compounds which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant uses,” Jean Francois Sobiecki, nutritionist and ethnobotanist at the University of Johannesburg, told AFP.
“It has got a really good combination of natural vitamins, antioxidants, protein and also healing substances which all together makes it an incredible superfood.” – AFPRelaxnews