Introduction In terms of value, coffee is one of the world’s most important commodities. Coffee is a vital crop for developing countries, providing vital foreign exchange earnings and an income for farmers. It is also an ideal crop for areas with poor infrastructure, as it is one of the few tropical horticultural crop products that […]
Hemp, a cousin albeit with no psychoactive properties, hopes that its own unfettered cultivation and potential might also soon be realised. The seeds, flowers, fibre and stalks can be used in multiple ways (see “Fibre crops” page).
Introduction The Cape wine-growing areas, situated in the narrow viticultural zone of the southern hemisphere, mainly have a Mediterranean climate. The mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for the wine grape Vitis vinifera, the products of which have given pleasure to humankind for many centuries. Long, sun-drenched summers and mild, wet winters contribute to […]
Baobab, coconut, flax, hemp, kenaf, sisal
Introduction Forests include plantations, natural/indigenous forests and woodlands/savannas. All activities linked to these fall under the umbrella of “forestry”. In addition to timber and related products, forests offer non-timber products and activity. They play a big part in our fauna and flora. Fruits, plants, medicinal herbs, birds and animals are found here. Trees protect watersheds […]
Introduction Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis, is a natural herb found in the Cape fynbos biome. It is cultivated commercially mainly in the Cedarberg region north west of Cape Town. The plant thrives on coarse sandy soil and winter rainfall. It is called rooibos (‘red bush’) or Red Tea because of its colour when dried. It has a […]
Photo above used courtesy of Errol Moloto Introduction The moringa tree has its origins in the northern regions of India. In Africa, two types are grown, moringa oleifera and moringa stenopetala (Lekgau, undated). The moringa tree is considered one of the most nutritious trees in the world since it has vitamins, minerals and amino acids which the human body […]
Introduction In the past two decades, the links between bio-cultural diversity and the richness of plant species in South Africa have contributed to ongoing attempts to develop traditional medicines for use in the modern complementary and alternative medicines sector. Eventually this will aid in the discovery of new drug entities for pharmaceutical industries. African traditional […]
Introduction The tobacco plant is a member of the same botanical family as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplants. Tobacco does well in poorer soils, providing farmers with a welcome alternative crop. In many cases, tobacco provides a higher income than any other smallholder crop. As a crop, it fits well into environmentally friendly rotations: growing […]
Introduction Sugarcane is cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates in areas with a plentiful supply of water. Approximately 800mm per annum is needed for a successful crop. Lower rainfall than this leads to difficult times for the industry. There is a vast global market for sugarcane derivatives. These are prevalent in the modern diet both […]
