I am starting a community project with Chaya and would like to know if any cuttings can be made available in South Africa, Zimbabwe or Botswana.
Hi Hanneke
I have the plant breeders right and registered trademark on Chaya in South Africa.We have over 70 000 Chaya trees in SA. We already have community projects in SA that feed families. We can supply you with Chaya cuttings for Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our export license comply with export of plants.
You can contact me via e mail: rian@chayaestates.co.za
Kindest Regards
Rian Gouws
Contact Margaret Tagwira. She is a member of echocommunity. Lots of experience and research with chaya in Zimbabwe at Africa University.
Good Morning,
Thank you for the advice. I have send an e-mail to the University to see if I can contact her.
What the heck does it mean to have the breeders right and registered trademark on Chaya? Chaya is propagated with cuttings. Do community groups have to pay to propagate their own chaya plants?
The fight against poverty starts with satisfying basic human needs. Chaya (Spinach Tree) is a new solution with the potential to dramatically improve lives at the "bottom of the pyramid" for a chance of a better life with a full tummy, which is why we’re committed to feeding the hearts, minds and tummies of South African families and children
We know the burden of food provision falls on the woman and she has to work twice as hard to put food on the table. Chaya will lessen the burden of women having to travel long distances to fetch water for their plants and it will go a long way in restoring the health of women having lost a lot of blood during the birthing process.
It is a huge task for women to get a meal on the table, It takes a lot of time and is long, hard work. They still have other chores like collecting firewood and cooking. Many women are unable to seek employment outside their residential environment as they are expected also to raise the children.
Seeing the opportunities it was its firm decision to do something that can create jobs and contribute towards the fight against poverty.
At least 30% of the women have access land available to plant Chaya Trees to generate an income via selling the wet leaves to me. I process it into Chaya products.
The stems of the leaves they feed to chickens to also generate an income, selling eggs and chickens in the rural communities.
I supply the rural communities with chaya trees that they grow for me and earn cash at their farm gate when I collect the leaves.
The plant breeder’s right and trademark on our Chaya variety was done legal through our government and SA rules to protect the rural chaya grower’s communities and our products.
They further also sell the processed chaya products and generate another income.
Margaret is no longer at Africa University. Feel free to contact me via email and I will connect you.
chris@matter.ngo