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About Zukara

ZUKARA'S STORY While conducting research on possible essential oil crop cultivation to create a more steady income for seasonal female farmworkers we came across this "magic oil", which fruit has been growing wildly on nonproductive land on farms in the Sandveld area. For decades the Kalahari Melon has been an invasive weed and potato farmers would go to costly lengths to remove them with pesticides before every planting season. With a group of women we work closely with farmers to harvest these fruits from their fields a head of time and therefore contributing to a greener approach when it comes to their soil preparation. Because potato farming is done on a 4-6 year rotation we are able to harvest from areas that comply with conventional, wild grown, non-sprayed standards. We are working towards getting our wild harvested Kalahari Melon's ECOCERT organically certified. FUTURE PLANS FOR ZUKARA While the wild harvesting of these Kalahari Melon's has been beneficial for both Zukara and the surrounding farmers we have come to realise that, to ensure a stable supply to the international cosmetic market, we would need to cultivate our own melons. This project starts in September and will be done with Outgrowers from the Piketberg Sunrise Farm Workers Trust in conjunction with Landman Wes Kaap, the BEE division of the Landman Group. This will provide an additional income opportunity for up to 20 families.

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