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Value chains

ABioSA has a value chain approach to biotrade, recognising the role of all parties. Key value chain actors include communities, traditional and indigenous knowledge holders, harvesters, pickers, processors, manufacturers and traders. ABioSA also works with value chain supporters and enablers like researchers, regulators, quality control and sector associations.

ABioSA works to ensure that all biotrade participants recognise the importance of biodiversity, environmental protection, conservation and sustainable use. This is a key element of the sector development plans developed in ABioSA phase I, with implementation beginning in phase II.

BAOBAB (Adansonia digitata)

The Baobab industry is one of Africa’s fastest-growing natural ingredients sectors. Baobab is a trans-boundary resource, with its fruit pods harvested in the wild by rural communities. It is found in 32 African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Buchu (Agathosma betulina and Agathosma crenulata)

Buchu is a small flowering shrub endemic to dry mountainous regions in the Western Cape of South Africa. It was originally used for cultural and medicinal purposes by the indigenous Khoi and San people, later becoming a South African folk remedy in the form of Buchu brandy.

Honeybush (Cyclopia species)

Honeybush is the common name of 23 members of the genus Cyclopia. It is an endemic fynbos shrub growing only on the sandy coastal plains, mountain slopes and valley bottoms of the Cape Fold mountains across the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.

Marula (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra)

Marula is a fruit-bearing tree abundant in many parts of southern Africa and with ecological, economic and social significance. It is perennial and drought-resistant and produces an abundant crop. It survives for up to 150 years, so Marula’s commercial development could be key to future climate change mitigation strategies.

Sceletium tortuosum

Sceletium tortuosum, commonly known as kanna or kougoed, is an indigenous low-growing succulent plant in the Aizoaceae family, found in the dry parts of South Africa’s Western, Eastern and Northern Cape provinces. It is a prominent member of the megadiverse plant communities of Southern Africa, which are renowned for their wealth in species in a small geographical area.