KAITE: Zimbabwe's bridge to the world

Producing and certifiying organic essential oils, herbs & spices
Sustainable Agriculture
Zimbabwe

Since 2007, KAITE trains small-scale farmers to produce, process and certify organic essential oils, herbs and spices. It is the first local enterprise in Zimbabwe to work with small-scale women farmers to produce these products for export. The 30 employees at KAITE connect the 500 cooperating partner farmers to local and international fair trade markets in order to target key markets in Europe and the US in the flavouring, fragrance, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Each KAITE partner farmer increases its family’s income by 150% while fulfilling international customers’ demands for organic products and derivatives. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Kaite empowers the community by improving skills and knowledge on production and processing and also contributes to environmental sustainability by promoting organic farming.
  • Organizing training on production and processing skills, nutrition, schooling and HIV/Aids prevention.
  • Contributing to better health and education levels of participating communities and particularly of households headed by women.
  • Promoting sustainable, ecological and holistic approaches to land use.
  • Improving soil fertility; eliminating harmful agrochemicals and organic pollutants.

 

  • Increasing the partner farmers' family income by 150% while fulfilling international customers’ demands for organic products and derivatives.
  • Providing a sustainable income base for farmer families in addition to a marked improvement in food security.

Partners

A small business, a research institution and an association of small-scale women farmers together are facing the challenge of improving rural livelihoods and reversing severe land degradation through innovative organic farming of essential oils, made from the indigenous Tarchonanthus camphoratus bush.

PhytoTrade Africa advises on standards and regulations and product development.

Trust Organic Small Farmers strengthens internationalmarketing linkages.

ZOPPA manages national and international networking.