In A Nutmeg

Deconstructed Nutmeg

You may be familiar with those nutmegs shaking loosely in their tough outer casing. Or maybe you are further convenienced in having packaged powdered nutmeg. Nutmeg has both culinary and medicinal purposes. However there is more over the surface of the nutmeg story.

I encountered a colleague at an agricultural conference and one of his first comments was that he had assumed that I was a national of Grenada from my then Twitter cover photo of nutmeg. Contrary to those who would be so inclined, nutmeg is also grown in Saint Lucia and other Caribbean islands. Interestingly, according to this FAO source, nutmeg was first planted in the West Indies in Saint Vincent in 1802.

Most intriguing to me, is that there are female and male nutmeg trees. Further, it is only the female plant that is capable of producing fruit. This blog effectively captures my sentiments on this subject:

"Just imagine the shock of a nutmeg farmer when he realises that the plant that he has been watering, pampering is a useless male plant!"

This begs the question: How does one identify a female plant before it gets to the flowering stage??? Complicated and costly DNA analysis is out of reach to the small-scale farmer and definitely out of my reach too! 

I recently purchased a propagated plant which I was promised has a 75% chance of flowering. It has planted it out and I patiently await the approximated 5 years to maturity. However to increase these odds, I will plant a few more to add keep my lone plant company. This source suggests that for the home garden the plants be spaced 10m apart. Wish me luck!

Nutmeg tree photo being photobombed by coconut palms

Nutmeg fruits on tree branches

Did you know that the nutmeg on the tree is encased in fleshy rounded fruit? When ripe, this bursts into halves to reveal the oval shaped nutmeg outer casing. On this casing is a red,lace-like membrane called mace or aril. Mace also has spice properties. They can be used in the same recipes that you would the nutmeg itself to add another dimension of flavour. The shell is then cracked to obtain the nutmeg seed.

Close up of nutmeg fruit

Nutmeg aflame-I am hot about nutmeg and it is hot about me too

While the nutmeg seed is a commercial product, I have yet to see mace on local supermarket shelves. An older generation birdie told me that the best fruit jams are made with mace for spice and I make it my duty to source them directly from the farmer. As with all things, there can be no substitute for freshness!

THE FAMILIAR AND UNFAMILIAR (3)

"Food is our common ground,

a universal experience."

~James Beard

Did you ever wonder at the identity of the bright orange fruit featured on all Fruit Logistica promotional material? Before the event, I had not been exposed to even a photograph of it. On this basis, it classifies as an exotic fruit.

Standing poster/board

While being pervasive on event material, it proved more difficult to locate the actual fruit on the stands. After walking miles of hallway, I finally located them on the second day of the Fruit Logistica. They were laid out at the Santa Margarita stand. In good exhibition fashion they are displayed both whole and cut open. As attractively orange as the outside is, the inside is garishly green. I am not eager to taste this fruit. Maybe I might be so inclined if there was a stand which served recipes of the kiwano.

The Star of the Show

So what is this famous mystery? The name of this fruit is Kiwano. A google search produces other names by which this fruit is known: horned melon, jelly melon, hedged gourd and melano. The alias African horned cucumber attests to its origins and explains why the seeds seem familiar to those of cucumber (Cucumis sativus).

Another exotic fruit (in my books) presents itself. This discovery looks less intimidating and I am willing to taste test. What a coincidence that it too is orange and the name begins with the letter "K"- Kaki. I have found it in the Spain section where samples are being distributed. It is delicious! It also helps to know that this fruit is a powerhouse of nutritional benefits which includes Vitamin C-just like the kiwano.

Right side up-Samples of kaki

 On the promotional material given, it states that : "Due to its sweet flavour a lot of people think that kaki fruit is fattening , but the caloric value is not exceedingly high." No doubt this makes a great option for healthy food dieters- if you can get your hands on it.

Bottoms up-Kaki in display case

In general, the Fruit Logistica was an wholesome opportunity to broaden my fruit experiences with new perspectives gained on familiar fruit and discovering the unfamiliar.

Please note that for additional photo moments of the Fruit Logistica, you can visit the D.I.G Facebook Page album

Additional resources: 

Kiwano Fact Sheet-Purdue
Kaki Fruit Information

THE FAMILIAR AND UNFAMILIAR (2)

Within the category of familiar fruits seen at the Fruit Logistica, it was interesting to encounter new varieties and value added products. One such example was mangoes. A wide range of African mangoes were exhibited namely: Palmer, Amelie, Smith, Keitt and Kent.

Mango Palmer at the Fruit Logistica

It has been lamented for years that during the mango season in Saint Lucia, much of the produce is wasted due to a lack in processing options. Dried mango snacks is one such option featured at the event. I had the opportunity to taste two brands:  7 Days Dried Mango from Pakistan made with Chaunsa mangoes; and Mama's Flavour from Tanzania. 

Mama's Flavour wins the taste test. My opinion was supported by my colleagues Additionally, they are solar dried and contain no additional ingredients. Other dried products include bananas, paw paw and pineapple.

Product of Pakistan

Product of Tanzania

Other dried mango snacks available were Bomarts Dried Mango from Ghana and SFA Premium Dried Mangoes from Pakistan.

Product of Ghana

Product of Pakistan

Before venturing into the production in dried fruit snacks due research must inform the best variety for processing and consumer taste preference. It would also be advantageous to follow the example of Tanzania with solar dried fruit for cost effectiveness, sustainability and tastiness.

Please  note: Additional photo highlights of the Fruit Logistica can be found on the D.I.G Facebook page

THE FAMILIAR and UNFAMILIAR (1)

"A fruit is not afraid of its own weight.

It grows into its skin fully. It is whole,

each part of its body equally alive"

~Gayle Brandeis 

Can you relate to the experience of being lost? Imagine that this is your first time in Berlin and you become separated from your group of friends and/or family in the vast crowd. Imagine the sense of panic And then on rejoining the group, the immense of relief! While most of the fruits featured at the Fruit Logistica were not completely foreign to me, some were unfamiliar. Examples such as imported apples, strawberries, pears and plums can be found on supermarket shelves in Saint Lucia. Like unexpectedly meeting old friends in new places, it was even more amazing to encounter fruits that are grown in Saint Lucia. 

1. Sugar Apples

Imagine my pleasant surprise to come across sugar apples at the Pakistan stand! They were displayed on the counter among other fruits. Their whites smiled up at me and I smiled down at them as we have known each other from my childhood. Our love relationship started ever since I was old enough to eat foods with seeds. The Pakistanis call them custard apples, but sugar apple is more fitting. 

Sugar apple opened for display

2. Sapodillas

Another joy to behold was the sapodilla. "Sapotee", as it is called locally is another long time love. The insides are not as dark as those I have enjoyed, but I imagine that they taste just as sweet when they ripen.

Sapotee cut open for display

3. Bananas

I imagine that a ripe banana is a ray of sunshine in the breakfast menu of anyone who resides in Europe. Especially during autumn and winter with the bleak, cold weather. Bananas, both ripe and green, were displayed by several territories throughout the event.

Green bananas in packaging at the Ghana stand

4. Pomegranate

A recent trend in the food business is the promotion of nutritional foods. More specifically, a niche market has been created for products with antioxidant properties which are available at premium price. Pomegranate is one such example; it can be found in many products from food to cosmetics. Where was this wonder fruit before all the market visibility? "Ponm gwennad" as it is called locally, was available in our backyards for free. 

Ponm gwennad on display

Packaging of the pomn gwennad

5. Passion Fruit

Purple passion fruit is a major African export. They were prominently displayed on lighted signs and in the arrangements which graced the stands. The illuminated images effectively transported me to tropical conditions while onsite in cold Berlin. A cold glass of passion fruit juice can however be refreshing in any climate.

Sign at the Kenya stand

The magnitude of the Fruit Logistica event is unimaginable amazing! You need to experience it to believe it. As an advertisement  seen at one of the stands depicts, the experience can be described as being bathed in fruit. However, there is still capacity for new participants. Can you imagine that at Fruit Logistica 2015, Saint Lucia reserves a stand? Or even better, for the Caribbean to be represented in an entire section? We should definitely showcase our primary and value added agricultural products.

Fruit Logistica is like being bathed in food

Please  note: Additional photo highlights of the Fruit Logistica can be found on the D.I.G Facebook

page

YAM- YUM!

A tale of two regions:

Yam is produced in Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean region. It is also produced in Africa but at a much greater scale of production. In this post we focus on the fascinating account of Ghana's successful yam export as related by a major exporter. With over 100 yam export companies in Ghana, his business has a 30% share of the yam export industry. His yams are prominently displayed at the Ghana stand at the Fruit Logistica which began today in Berlin, Germany. My presence at this trade fair is due to the gracious invitation of COLEACP. African states are well represented at this event, and the Ghana stand is an excellent example.

Prized yams in their viewing case

Competitive Advantages

1. Climate

Traditionally, agricultural production coincides with peak rainfall periods of the year. Ghana's rainy season begins in March/April. This allows a competitive advantage over major competitors, whose rainy seasons occur later in the year. To supply the European demand for this tasty tuber, this exporter ships 200,000 yams per month! At the moment since demand is greater, he has opted for air transport to fill the demand in between shipments.

2.Yams

Nice dry yams

What makes the buyer yearn for yams from Ghana? The distinct taste of the yams has earned them their renown. The taste is even preferred over the taste of yams from other competing African nations such as Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Ghana has enjoyed success in particular with the variety, Puna. Hopefully, I may get the opportunity to experience the taste test myself without the guarantee of objectivity! I would like to taste the difference between their yam and our yam.

Also, customer satisfaction depends on minimal loss due to spoilage. To achieve this, the harvested yams are kept in the warehouse for three weeks prior to shipping. In this time, all the pieces of yam which would have spoiled would be sorted. During this period, moisture which accelerates post harvest loss would have dried off the yams selected for export.

On first impressions of Fruit Logistica, I had not imagined that root crops would be featured. This pleasant surprise afforded me a first hand learning experience of the scope of the international tuber trade. With African and Caribbean diaspora, Ghana's yams are well poised to take advantage of this European niche market.

Additional resources:

Analysis of Incentives and Disincentives for Yam in Ghana

COLEACP PIP-NEW TECHNIQUES IN AGRI-EXTENSION

What is PIP?

When this learning opportunity came knocking on my email address, I immediately took to Google. I had so many questions: "What is COLEACP?" and "What is PIP?" among others. Maybe you are like me- new to these acronyms and scouring the internet for information. In that case I will direct you to the official  COLEACP website at this link: http://www.coleacp.org/ . The full term for PIP may prove more difficult to find. What was previously called the Pesticide Initiative Programme has grown to be more inclusive. The programme was first developed in response to the challenge of pesticide concentration on agricultural produce in excess of Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). Now the initiative has grown to embrace food security and sustainable agriculture issue such as: 

1.  Ethical Trade
2. Environmental Impact of Pesticides
3. Integrated Crop Management
4. Alternative Production Systems including Organic

COLEACP and the Caribbean Farmers' Network (CaFAN), hosted a two-week training in Saint Lucia for Caribbean extension workers and affiliates from December 2-14, 2014.

Each participant received a training kit containing ALL of these. Thanks COLEACP!

New Methods of Training

It was a tight schedule for the two-week training. Participants were trained in both the Training of Trainers Techniques and the Field Training Workshop Methods. Even before we arrived at the workshop venue on the workshop start date, we had been assigned projects. The momentum was maintained until the final day of workshop activities.

Some of the topics explored included:

1. Adult Learning
2. SIOM-Subject, Interest, Objective, Method
3. Food Safety
4. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Sustainable Agricultural Production
5. Pesticide Label
6. Pestcide Resistance
7. Questioning Techniques
8. Traceability
9. Training Aids
10. Training Programmes

Field Trip! Farm Visit

Group work

What did we learn? How are we going to use it?

On the last few days of the workshop we were honoured buy the presence of COLEACP PIP Managing Director, Mr. Guy Stinglhamber who listened to the final presentations of each represented country's action.

On the first day of the training, we were daunted by restrictions to our use of good old Power Point presentations. Dare I say that some of us were lost! But in short time, we came to the realisation that Power Point was just old. We were all converted  to the Field Trainer Workshop technique, acknowledging that adult learning requires participatory training technique and tapping into our creativity.We all vowed to continue the momentum, using these techniques in our professional and individual capacities.

Congratulations to the Graduands!

St. Lucia Floral Cooperative Field Trip

The St. Lucia Floral Cooperative Society Limited (SLFCSL) is the primary representative body of the flower producers in St. Lucia since its establishment in 1999.  Previously, the organization named the St. Lucia Flower Growers Cooperative performed this function. A historic perspective provided in “Profiles of Farmer Organisations in Saint Lucia” a publication of IICA, speaks of the Flower Growers Cooperative in its formative years as “experiencing the customary growing pains characterized by the vicious circle: farmers do not take an active role in the organization because the group cannot offer services, and the group cannot offer services because their membership is small and the farmers do not play an active role”.  From its headquarters at Vide Bouteille, Castries the SLFCSL manages its island-wide membership for increased productivity and developing local, regional and international markets. Some of the products marketed by the SLFCSL include anthuriums, heliconias and ginger lilies.

In the spirit of volunteerism, I have accompanied the SLFCSL on several field trips to their membership. The purpose of the interaction is to facilitate dialogue on production challenges and other concerns of the members. If you are new to the industry as I was, you will the following notes interesting:

Orchid production is growing business in St. Lucia. Although production has increased, large quantities of these blooms are imported to meet market demand. When bought from the Tissue Culture Lab at Union the medium used is sphagnum moss. However, the SLFCSL recommends washed pebbles as a sustainable option for transplanting with a small part of the initial sphagnum moss. For more orchid photos, please visit the D.I.G Facebook photo album.

Orchid

The ant, the farmer; the shepherd to be more precise. The symbiotic relationship between ants and mealy bugs is termed mutualism. Mealy bugs produce a sugary substance called honey dew, a source of nourishment for the ants. In exchange, the ants tend the mealy bugs, often “shepherding” the “herd” of mealy bugs to the better "grazing pastures" in softer leaves and protecting them from predators. The delicate balance: Without the ants to consume the accumulation of honey dew, sooty mold would cover the area of the leaf and prevent the plant’s food manufacturing process resulting in growth retardation. On the other hand, the ants also destroy the flowers by building their nests in the blooms. This was observed in heliconias.

The ant, the farmer

The white fly is a major pest challenge to the floral industry, with particular effect on orchids. They too produce honey dew which is growth medium for sooty mold.

Anthurium leaf: white flies on the underside (left); sooty mold on the top (right)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Flowers of any kind are generally considered beautiful. Someone once commented that the beauty is powerful to stave off hunger. You would agree that the attraction of flowers is predominantly the brightly coloured petals. Consider then the beauty of “green anthuriums” and “brown hibiscus” hybrids.

Is this your kind of beautiful?

Saint Lucia flower production is not characterized by large farms, but primarily by backyard production. 

Feel free to contact the SLFCSL for assistance when you decide to start your venture or to participate in its floral subsciption service.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

St. Lucia Floral Cooperative Society

Profiles of Farmer Organisations in Saint Lucia

A Tough Nut to Crack!

It’s been years since youthful(ler) energy was spent breaking almonds (local name: zanmann) with stones. Those were the years when the days were seemingly longer-a portion of afterschool hours spent in nut cracking and eating was a social and leisurely activity. Recently a neighbour offered me some from heaps of fallen almonds in her yard. My response: “I’m too old for that!”. But in retrospect what I had really felt was: “Who has time for that?”. Convenience- the lifestyle trend which led to the rise of commercial food processing and retailing. In the name of convenience we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on imported almonds to place on supermarket shelves to satisfy consumer demand.

Young almonds

 Agriculture- A Labour of Love or A Love of Labour?

Dialogue on food security and local agribusiness is usually punctuated with remarks on the abundant produce supply and lack of agribusiness that add value to this abundance. Almonds are bountiful- in season. Apart from seasonality, another challenge to the development of agribusiness is low mechanization.  Today I sit bent over, painstakingly extracting almonds out of their shells as I am sure my Amerindian and African ancestors did centuries before. This is both time-consuming and energy-consuming. However, some enterprising (and strong) persons from the Micoud to Deruisseaux gaps, manually shell these nuts and bag the raw nuts for sale. Roasted cashew nuts are also sold in season. The general response of consumers are: “But they are so EXPENSIVE!”. Would our willingness to pay appreciate if we fully understood the process from tree to tray? The nuts have to be collected, dried, cracked, bagged and stored. For cashews there is the additional process of roasting. Not to mention the emotional drain of resisting the urge to snack on the nuts!

Dried almonds

Almonds also have their share of the cottage industry of local treats. Almond is made into a brittle with sugar, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Other staples of the sweet treats market include fudge, jams and jellies made from an assortment of fruits, "coffee tea: and "guava cheese".

Can you see it? The almond nut is on the left.

Can you imagine how mechanization would revolutionize the nut business? Much like the Industrial Revolution was to Europe, during which technological advancements led to increased and sustained production and economic growth. Mechanization will benefit the agricultural sector with

•   Increased production volume that will extend market share beyond roadside vendors’ trays to supermarket shelves and compete with foreign almonds.
•   Higher volumes would challenge the issue of seasonality, with nuts stored for year-round distribution.
•   Industrial roasting and shelling for even roasting and consistent results.

Their nuts vs. Our nuts: Is bigger better?

Despite the obvious benefits, St. Lucian agriculture has not adapted to improved mechanisation. Financial constraints hinder aspiring agripreneurs. Do we challenge our leaders to creating an enabling environment for agribusiness? Have we become demotivated by fruitless attempts? Have our policy makers and other stakeholders made up their minds to relegate local almond production to availability in season in small quantities and high prices; much like an antique put on display at Jounen Kweyol (Creole Day)? 

Please share your thoughts on a contemporary agribusiness environment for St. Lucia and the Caribbean.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
FAO Document on Small-scale Cashew Nut Processing: http://www.fao.org/inpho_archive/content/documents/vlibrary/ac306e/ac306e07.htm

Cool as a Cucumber- Part One

The sun is out after the rains of the past few days. It's an ideal day to be out in the field but I am not wearing the ideal shoes for such an excursion. A detour brings me on a long overdue visit to the farm site of Agrocomplex. Agrocomplex is a small agricultural business which aims to provide quality agricultural production and services which is operated by Mr. Henry.

Cucumbers keeping cool under shade

Mr. Henry produces lettuce, Chinese cabbage, corn, watermelons, eggplant, bell peppers, passion fruit, snake gourd, zucchini and tomatoes. In addition he produces seedlings as requested. Presently, most of the farm space is cultivated with cucumbers, with a smaller crop of butternut and zucchini. 

Cucumbers in the open. Cucumbers, cucumbers everywhere!

Today his usual busy self, Mr. Henry was met in the process of harvesting cucumbers for sale. As such, I had arrived at the right time to lend some assistance (other than photographing). Also making me right in time to be gifted a heap of farm fresh cucumbers. However the proof will be in the salad that I will prepare for breakfast next day.

Flower to fruit chart for cucumbers. Photos taken at Agrocomplex