* The global demand for Baobab tree products has surged in recent years, driven by the fruit’s nutritional and health benefits
* This growing demand has become a double-edged sword, raising concerns about the sustainability of these ancient trees
* In 2022, the entire baobab trees were controversially uprooted in Kenya and exported to Georgia in Eastern Europe
* Eight trees were exported but later died, signalling the lack of prior research about their viability in their new home
By Duncan Mlanjira
When the Baobab tree in Malawi falls due to weather elements, not much, if anything at all, is done to replace it. This is because very few Malawians realise or utilise the tree’s potential to the fullest — apart from harvesting its fruits, which lately are being used in the production of Malambe Juice.
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According to ethnobotanist for National Museums of Kenya, Patrick Maundu, Baobab tree, which grow in arid and semi-arid parts of Africa, including Malawi, has a “deep cultural and ecological significance” since some of them “are thousands of years old”.
Maundu is leading a Kenyan research team, and he wrote an article that was published by South Africa’s theconservation.com on December 10, 2024, saying they have established that “the global demand for Baobab tree products has surged in recent years, driven by the fruit’s nutritional and health benefits”.
However, writes Maundu in the articles co-authored by his research team-mate, James Kioko, that “this growing demand has become a double-edged sword, raising concerns about the sustainability of these ancient trees”.
Maundu chronicles that the Baobab tree is native to at least 37 countries in Africa and two in the Arabian Peninsula with the African baobab (Adansonia digitata) as the most widespread of the eight known baobab species.
“It endures in some of the harshest conditions, from salty water-bathed ocean shores to vast dry savannahs and forests. Of the rest of the baobabs, six are native to Madagascar, and one to northern and western Australia.”
As unique trees, baobabs “are among the world’s longest-living trees, with some being over 2,000 years old [and] can survive prolonged droughts thanks to their ability to store water in their huge trunks, which can attain a diameter of 10 metres or more”.
“The trunk has amazing regenerative ability, easily growing back after damage by humans in search of fibre or from wildlife like elephants trying to quench their thirst.
“Unlike most trees, which are adorned with lush leaves, the baobab often stands bare for the greater part of the year. Its thick, leafless branches stretch out like skeletal arms, creating a weird and almost mystical appearance.”
Maundu’s research team says the Baobab has a slow growth rate as it starts to flower and produce fruits from about 20 years of age and in many cases, especially in arid regions, trees give their first fruit much later, with some known to start at 60 years.
The case of Malawi
What attracted Maravi Express to the Baobab is a post on Facebook by passionate private tree seedlings developer, Mapopa William Banda, which informed tree-loving members of the public that he is breeding Baobab tree seedlings after he was asked to do so by some interested people.
When contacted by Maravi Express, Mapopa indicated that hadn’t had much time to breed such seedlings but this year, even before the inquiries he received to consider the Baobab, he had thought of doing a few seedlings which he wanted to grow for 3 years “so that those that would want to buy should somewhat buy well established plants”.
He was inspired to consider breeding the Baobab seedlings after taking note of the belief that “most of the baobab trees we see around, grow along river banks and were from traveling elephants that were eating whole fruits from upland”.
He observed that the fruit seeds in the elephants’ excrements found their way downstreams where they were sprouting and growing: “So my idea is to have a human element involved in propagating these trees,” Mapopa said.
On areas where the Baobab thrives, Mapopa indicated that it grows very well in warm to hot areas such as the Lower Shire, the lakeshore and other places, saying: “The baobab tree are reported to survive even in areas with low precipitation. However, it is also believed that in other areas people get their water from drilling holes in the tree.”
He anticipates that his seedlings will be ready “by June and most likely, the 200 seedlings will be ready”, adding that Baobab tree takes approximately 18-20 years and some trees are said to be over 2,000 years old.
Mapopa Williams Banda
When shared of the survey that was done in Kenya that indicates that there is global demand for the Baobabs because of its reputation as a superfood, Mapopa said “the fruit is a great source of vitamin C”.
He also said he has heard that of Ghana where they are exporting baobab powder to Europe and when asked if the potential customers of the 200 seedlings he is breeding indicated why they needed it for, Mapopa said he did not ask on what they were intending to do with the seedlings “but most of the times people use them for ornamental purposes”.
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There is a stopover entertainment facility at Dyeratu in Chikwawa, which is named ‘The Baobab’ after a very old baobab tree close by but it fell down due to the torrential rains that accompanied Cyclone Ana in 2022 and till now, it hasn’t been replaced.
The entertainment facility is still operating under the same name and people not synonymous with the existence of the tree always ask: “But where is the Baobab tree?”
What is the baobab’s significance?
In his article on The Conservation, Maundu says in African cultures, every part of the baobab is valuable — the leaves are consumed as a nutritious vegetable; and the fruit pulp, with its tangy taste, adds flavour to foods and beverages.
Kenyan Patrick Maundu
Baobab pulp is rich in antioxidants, vitamins (like C and B complex), fibre and minerals (such as calcium, iron and magnesium).
The seeds are a source of oil in the cosmetic industry. The inner bark is harvested for its fibre, which is woven into ropes and baskets. Hollows in the trunk provide shelter for honey bees.
The fruit shell is made into utensils and other household items. The baobab’s bark and root extracts are widely used in traditional medicine.
Products from the Baobab
“Because of its value, the baobab has attracted folklore and myths,” further writes Maundu and Kioko. “Many African communities consider the tree sacred, often associating it with spirits. As a result, various ceremonies and rituals are conducted under it.
“Ecologically, the baobab holds an important position in the landscape, supporting a wide range of wildlife, including fungi, insects, birds, reptiles, bats and monkeys.
“Its large trunk serves as a water reservoir [and] the elaborate root system stabilises the soil, preventing erosion while the fallen leaves enrich the soil with nutrients.
“Additionally, the baobab acts as a carbon sink [which] means it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and packs it away, helping mitigate climate change.
Why is global demand for baobabs spiking?
“The baobab’s reputation as a superfood is spreading. This has mainly been fuelled by the recognition of baobab pulp as a food ingredient by the European Union and the US Food & Drug Administration in 2008 and 2009, respectively. This opened the way for its use as an ingredient in drinks, foods, natural remedies and cosmetics.”
The article singles out Zimbabwe as becoming the trailblazer in this industry, “aggressively targeting the lucrative European market” — thus the Baobab is under threat on several fronts:
* Its slow growth rate, huge size, long life and economic value expose the tree to many risks: Although some Madagascan baobab species are listed as either critically endangered or endangered altogether, the African baobab is not — yet, there is evidence that specific unique populations may be declining in parts of Africa, calling for more conscious conservation measures to be taken.
* Climate change is already reshaping the ecosystems baobabs rely on: These ancient giants need a specific range of soil and air humidity and they also depend on specific pollinators for reproduction, like bats and bush babies, However, rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are disrupting these balances, affecting the overall health of the tree and reproductive capacity.
* Changing community belief systems and local values are having an effect, too: The baobab’s sacred status is waning as modernity spreads. In some communities, the tree is now seen as a relic of the past. Further, the baobab’s expansive canopy and roots compete for space and nutrients with food crops amid shrinking agricultural space which has intensified the tendency of communities to cut the tree.
* The surge in commercial interest is a double-edged sword; The high demand for baobab pulp raises serious concerns about interference with natural regeneration, loss of genetic diversity and the health of baobab populations. Baobab is still harvested using crude methods – such as hitting the fruits from the ground or climbing on pegs inserted into the stem – that harm the tree.
The research further says “this commercial interest has brought a new threat — biopiracy. This was witnessed in Kenya in 2022 when entire baobab trees were controversially uprooted and exported to Georgia in eastern Europe.
“Eight trees were exported but later died, signalling the lack of prior research about their viability in their new home. This incident highlighted the lack of appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks to protect these important trees from exploitation, and underscored the urgent need for specific policies on safeguarding the baobab.”
What should be done?
Maundu’s research team contends that safeguarding the baobab “requires more than isolated efforts — it demands a blend of cultural and community protection, and conservation and management actions at the community level.
“It also requires strategic policy and regulatory frameworks, and collaboration on the national and global stages. These policies should also support livelihood programmes for communities by supporting value chains and providing market linkages for baobab products.
“Promoting sustainable harvesting techniques, like leaving enough fruit for regeneration, will protect the trees and surrounding environments. Integrating indigenous knowledge with tools like genetic research will enhance these efforts.
About The Conversation
* The Conversation introduces Patrick Maundu as part of the research project to document the heritage of the baobab tree in Kenya, and the publishers also declared a disclaimer, that Maundu “does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from the article, and he disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment”.
*The Conversation is funded by South Africa’s National Research Foundation, eight universities, including the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University and the Universities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pretoria, and South Africa.
* It is hosted by the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Western Cape, the African Population and Health Research Centre and the Nigerian Academy of Science while the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a Strategic Partner.
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