Opportunities abound in organic farming

LASt week the Organic Farming Academy held a EU Organic Open day where various stakeholders were invited to showcase what they were offering. The event cannot be described in any other words except breathtaking! The participating farmers were spoilt for choice as to which projects that they could undertake.

Rosella

The rosella farming project stole the show on the breezy Friday afternoon. The Organic Farming Academy is offering short courses to vulnerable community-based farmers who are then exposed to various international markets where they can export.

Germany ambassador to Zimbabwe, Udo Volz, who was the guest of honour at the event commended the academy for "good farming techniques" and also assisting farmers to make informed decisions.

He added that products like rosella were a unique, special gift to the European Union from Africa which was offering tremendous solutions to their health situation.

Where it can be found

Whilst the uptake of rosella farming is slow because many farmers have not been made aware of its huge return on invested dollars, the crop is mostly native to West Africa, China and Thailand who are now the largest rosella producers.

The world’s best rosella comes from Sudan, but the quantity is low. Mexico and Jamaica, Senegal, Mali, Egypt, and tanzania are also important suppliers but production is mostly used domestically.

In Zimbabwe, it is mostly produced in Binga, Mwenezi and Mvurwi.

It is appealing to farmers in ecological regions two and three who experience high temperatures.

Rosella grows across a wide climate range from arid, dry temperate regions through subtropical and tropical regions. It normally grows best in field conditions under full sunlight, in well-drained sandy-loam soil.

Mature plants are highly drought resistant but may require water during dry periods when soil moisture is depleted to the point where wilting occurs.

In the landscape, rosella may be planted in combination with other useful plants as part of a multi-layered hedge or windbreak or on contour ridges between row crops. It also makes an attractive plant to grow near the house.

Yield

Rosella takes 4-6 months to mature and is harvested in May. Pruning the plant encourages the production of more calyces. The calyces can be harvested 15-20 days after the plant has flowered. The fruits are harvested fresh, the seed capsules are removed and the calyces are then dried if they are to be used for tea. For jam they are used fresh.

Yields can reach 500kg dried calyces per hectare. A kg costs on average US$120 on the market. In the hectare, seed — which is the only input — costs about US$200.

I will leave the rest of the mathematics to your calculators. The plant is rain fed.

Properties

Rosella calyces are high in vitamin C, anti-oxidants, calcium and iron. Rosella is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Recent research suggests that consumption of rosella drinks helps reduce carbohydrate absorption and lowers blood pressure, making it an important dietary supplement for people who are overweight or suffer from type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The seeds are high in protein.

Uses

Rosella is used nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals.

The fleshy red calyces are brewed into tea and used for making wine, juice, jam, jelly, syrup, spice, gelatine, ice cream, flavours and used as sauce or filling for pies, tarts, and other desserts.

The calyces can also be merely chopped and added to fruit salads.

The young leaves and tender stems are eaten raw in salads or cooked as greens alone or in combination with other vegetables and/or with meat, often mixed with peanut or sesame paste.

They are also added to seasoning.

The seeds are considered excellent feed for chickens. The residue after oil extraction is valued as cattle feed when available in quantity.

Markets

in food, animal cosmeceuticals

feed, and curries as today, Rosella is attracting the attention of food and beverage manufacturers and pharmaceutical concerns.

The red calyces of the plant are increasingly exported to the United States and Europe where they are used as food colourings to replace some synthetic dyes. Germany is the main importer. — Staff Writer.