Our Focus Species
BIZ focuses on indigenous species suitable for small-scale rural production. These species are locally evolved and adapted, culturally familiar, widely abundant and available, drought-resilient, contribute to better use and management of biodiversity and require minimal agro-inputs. Each of the BIZ focus species has traditional uses and market demand. Currently, these include:
- Grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.)
- Baobab (Adansonia digitata)
Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
- Marula (Sclerocarya birrea)
- Masau (Ziziphus mauritiana)
- Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
- Wild melons (Citrullus lanatus)
- Bambara nuts (Vignea subterranea)
Mobola Plum (Parinari curatellifolia)
- Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
- Resurrection bush (Myrothamnus flabellifolia)
- Fever tea tree/Lemon bush (Lippia javanica)
- Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum zeyheri/procumbens)
- Sweet thorn (Acacia karroo)
- Bindura bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica)
- Wild or sour plum (Ximenia spp.)
- Mongongo Nut Or Manketti Tree (Schinziophyton rautanenii)
- Mopane Worms (caterpillars of the Mopane Emperor Moth, Gonimbrasia belina)
