Baobab Guardians: Tree Measurements

In March this year, I completed the annual tree-measuring I do every of the baobab trees planted in the villages by our baobab guardians. [See this post to find out why the Baobab Foundation has created the Baobab Guardian project] They have all done exceptionally well with the late rains that we got in January and February. We now have 75 baobab […] Continue Reading

Baobab Fruit Monitoring

As part of EcoProducts commitment to understanding the ecology and sustainable harvesting of baobab fruit, Dr Sarah Venter monitors a representative set of trees every March.   The trees are scattered between various landscapes, including villages, fields, rocky outcrops and bush.  Following the patterns of fruit production between landscapes and over multiple years, gives Sarah insight into the natural variability […] Continue Reading

It started with nothing but hope

It’s a reality in South Africa that pre-schools – especially in the deep rural areas – get far less support from government than primary and high schools. And yet research shows that if young children are provided with teaching,  nourishment and stimulation at pre-school age, they are far more likely to break out of the poverty cycle than those who […] Continue Reading

African Baobab Alliance Congress

EcoProducts is delighted to be participating in the very first ‘Global Baobab Congress’ in Germany on the 11th of February.  It’s being organised by the African Baobab Alliance (ABA) of which I’m a member and I’ll be talking to participants from around the world about long term ecological research into Baobab.  There’s been increasing world-wide interest in Baobab products from […] Continue Reading

The baobab tree is going to be around for a long time

Recently, various media reports have stated that nine of the 13 biggest baobab trees in southern Africa had collapsed or died in quick succession. Some experts have suggested that climate change may have played a key role in their downfall, although research is still ongoing. These gnarly giants are very much a part of the Limpopo landscape and tourist industry, […] Continue Reading

Brave Baobab Seedlings

These baobab seedling pics remind me of the boldness of youth. And these days sadly, if they’re growing in an inhabited area, they’re bound to get eaten by livestock. Out there in the ‘wild’ they just have to make the most of a few weeks of life and then the thousand year promise in their genes is extinguished. Which is why the work of the Baobab Guardians becomes so important. 

Pre-School Graduation Day Celebration

‘Graduation’ for pre-school! The EcoProducts Baobab Foundation support a number of pre-schools in various villages in the area. We believe this a vitally important aspect of early childhood development that urgently needs our attention and funding in order to break the poverty cycle. Now the children we’ve been helping to support are ready to ‘graduate’ to ‘big’ school!

50 new trees Baobab Guardians celebration!

Our big event celebrating planting 50 baobab trees was a huge success!  The purpose of the event was firstly to celebrate and make heroes of the Baobab Guardians, thereby inspiring others to also plant trees. Secondly, it was to present certificates to those Guardians whose baobab seedlings have almost reached 3 metres in height which means they are able to […] Continue Reading