where do you go with the baobab fruit?

Last week while on a photo shoot in Venda,  the harvesters asked me where I went with all the baobab fruit I buy from them.  So I said, why don’t you come and see?  We worked out the taxi money from Venda and back and set a date for the following Thursday.  

The women travelled 200km to visit EcoProducts in Makhado. They arrived in their beautiful Minwendas (traditional venda dress).  I could not resist the temptation of putting on my Minwenda which was given to me by Chief Sumbana a few years ago.  

We showed the women around the premises and they chatted with all the staff.  When they saw what the fruit was being used for and how we process the powder and oil, they realized why I am so fussy about the quality of fruit I buy from them.  There was such tremendous ‘buy-in’ from them, once they understood the importance of the harvesting work they did. They felt part of a greater process rather than just the suppliers of the fruit.  

We showed them the cracking, separating, sieving and packing of the powder.  They also were amazed by the oil press and that such a small dry seed could produce oil.

Continue reading....

Find more interesting articles below

2015 May: EcoProducts Foundation: pre-school programme

2015 May: EcoProducts Foundation: pre-school programme

Thank you to all of you who have been so supportive of the launch of the EcoProducts Foundation. All your shares, likes and comments help spread the word and have been so encouraging to us.  We’d like to tell you a little more about one of our programmes, Baobab Pre-school. Like most mothers, Venda women […]

Read more
budding baobabs

budding baobabs

Spring has arrived in the Limpopo with budding baobabs!  The baobab trees which have been bare for most of the year are bursting into bud and leaf.  The round buds which look like fruit are actually flower buds.  They will still grow to three times that size over the next month before they are ready […]

Read more
2016 Mar: Baobab Guardians: women planting baobabs for the future

2016 Mar: Baobab Guardians: women planting baobabs for the future

How a UK wholefoods company is sponsoring 10 baobab guardians to help grow tiny baobab seedlings into mighty baobab giants!

Read more