Context and challenges
The Berlin-based company africrops! imports and distributes fair-trade personal care products and food based on African plants and fruits. With the objective of offering high-quality products on the German and the global market, africrops! is committed to optimising local production processes. Since 2013, africrops! has been successfully combining entrepreneurial principles with development expertise. The demand from African partners for this approach is very high. In addition to social and environmental sustainability, economic sustainability is particularly important.
The baobab produces fruit that is full of vitamin C, minerals and fibre. africrops! wants to benefit from this potential – not only for Africa, but also for health-conscious consumers in Europe.
The challenge is that baobab trees only bear fruit after around 20 years. They are therefore often cleared to make room for agricultural land. In addition, long periods of drought and heavy rainfall make everyday life in northern Tanzania considerably more difficult – especially for the many farmers who rely on the yields from their own fields. Many people here urgently need work. Some residents of the villages are already collecting baobab fruit to sell to individual traders for little money. What has been lacking until now was more detailed knowledge of harvesting methods, access to the world market and an awareness of biodiversity.
Project approach
Together, africrops! and TAGEFA set out to establish a fair and professional value chain that would open up new prospects and future opportunities for local people. The project implements labour contracts and training to secure a steady income for the fruit pickers and improve the quality of the products delivered.
Harvesting baobab fruit is difficult and requires specialised knowledge. Ripe fruits contain too much moisture when they are harvested directly from the tree. Harvesters must ensure that the skin of the fruit is intact so that it remains protected from mould and other external influences. The project therefore focused in particular on passing on specialist knowledge and practical skills. The objectives of the project were to strengthen the local labour and income situation, improve the quality and quantity of certified organic baobab products, and at the same time protect the tree population. To ensure that less baobab is cleared, the local people were to learn how to produce biochar from the fruit's shell – as an alternative to charcoal made from wood. This was intended to generate additional income.
To achieve these objectives, the following activities were supported with a project budget of around EUR 400,000:
- Training in business administration and quality management for local companies, students and trainees, run by africrops! together with the University of Dodoma and the women entrepreneurs’ association TAGEFA
- Training and introduction of labour contracts for fruit pickers
- Creation of jobs for the production of biochar from baobab shells
- National marketing of baobab products and biochar
- Certification of natural baobab cosmetics as organic, for better marketing
DEG Impulse supported africrops! in running the training courses and provided around half of the project budget.
Thanks to the cooperation with DEG Impulse, africrops! and TAGEFA were able to draw up employment contracts and thus create secure incomes for fruit pickers in northern Tanzania. At the same time, we can serve an ever-growing, aware clientele with even higher-quality baobab products from sustainable agriculture.
Results
The project has enabled africrops! to produce new, improved products and also offer organic baobab to other companies, which now use baobab in waffles, for example. The project has contributed significantly to the fact that organic baobab is now offered in products from various companies. Today, it uses baobab fruit as one of three main ingredients alongside moringa and hibiscus to develop new products. In addition, africrops!, TAGEFA and the University of Dodoma have enabled local companies, trainees and students to familiarise themselves with sustainable production processes involving the baobab fruit – and to successfully place the resulting products on the national market. In particular, principles of entrepreneurship and business development have been taught.
As part of the project, the people in northern Tanzania have not only learned how best to harvest baobab fruit, but also how to set up their own businesses, manage their finances and produce organically. Thanks to permanent labour contracts, the fruit pickers can earn a higher income and provide better for their families. They are thus able to buy more food and high-quality seeds, pay school fees and secure medical care.
- More than 750 baobab fruit pickers have been trained.
- TAGEFA has 25 new employees processing baobab shells.
- A total of 1,260 students, 90 trainees and 5 trainers have benefited from lectures.
develoPPP Classic
develoPPP Classic is aimed at companies that want to invest sustainably in an emerging market and expand their operational activities locally. Suitable projects receive technical and financial support of up to two million euros in public funding.
Project partners
