Story: African and Bhutanese farmers to showcase organic products (en)
With the demand for clean, green farming growing at around 20 per cent a year, the International Trade Centre is supporting African and Bhutanese producers to showcase their products at BIOFACH 2021.
The focus of BIOFACH 2021—a digital gathering of the world’s leading trade fair in organic food products from 17 to 19 February—is new products and industry trends.
The fair offers participants and exhibitors a unique space to meet buyers and to exchange ideas on organic agriculture.
Through the United Kingdom-funded UK Trade Partnerships Programme and the European Union-funded EU-Bhutan Trade Support Project, ITC is assisting four companies and associations exhibit at the BIOFACH trade fair: Organic Africa (Zimbabwe), the Penja Pepper Association (Cameroon), Druk Metho (Bhutan) and Bio Bhutan (Bhutan).
What’s your Eco?
BIOFACH is asking all participants and exhibitors – What’s your Eco? – encouraging businesses to network with like-minded partners and to share their vision for organic agriculture.
The selected exhibitors at the trade fair will be able to create their own virtual chat rooms–opening up opportunities for product presentations, networking events and market offerings.
It is an opportunity for the selected African and Bhutanese producers to showcase their country’s products at the international level.
So, what can the participants at BIOFACH 2021 learn about the African and Bhutanese companies?
Here’s a quick taste of what they can expect.
Organic Africa
Using traditional, indigenous farming methods, the company will display ten crops at BIOFACH including chillies, paprika, peppermint, baobab, rosella, stevia, turmeric and papaya. Organic Africa embodies the future of farming in Africa by working with small-scale farmers and wild collectors all over Zimbabwe to identify the potential of value-added organic production, processing and marketing of premium value herbs, spices and superfoods.
Penja Pepper
In the volcanic soils of the southwestern Cameroon, its microclimate, regular and sufficient rainfall and altitude, as well as the growing and production methods give Penja pepper is pungency, spicy taste and aroma. Demand for penja pepper is high among Michelin-star chefs across the United Kingdom and Europe thanks to its exceptional organoleptic quality. At BIOFACH 2021, the Penja Pepper Association will be presenting a variety of black pepper (dried, almost ripe berries) and white pepper (harvested at optimal moment of maturity, washed and shelled).
Druk Metho
Druk Metho (Dragon Flower) from Bhutan wants to help reverse the trend of rural-urban migration by developing more lucrative and diverse livelihoods for rural farming communities and empowering women and young people in the villages. Valuable edible flowers are grown by the Drachukha Flower Group and processed by Druk Metho for export to Switzerland as well as for local value-addition. The Druk Metho farm is the first EU-certified organic farm in Bhutan, making an important contribution to the country’s goal to achieve 100% organic farming. The dried flower petals have an ever-increasing demand in high-value markets around the world as ingredients in innovative food and beverage products.
Bio Bhutan
Bio Bhutan is the country’s first enterprise that specializes in the sustainable production of natural and organic certified products from raw materials supplied by local farmers. Bio Bhutan produces essential oils, spices, herbal tea and soaps.
The company embraces the essence of Gross National Happiness through the simultaneous creation of value for farmers, consumers, and the nature in Bhutan.
Inspired by the benefits of the sustainable farming, the brand is committed to deliver natural products to consumers whilst also improving the lives of rural communities. Small-scale farmers from remote areas in Bhutan are paid premium prices for their locally-produced resources which in turn is transformed into benefits for an increasingly nature-oriented consumer market.