African Crops For The Future Ep01: The Mongongo Tree (Schinziophyton rautanenii)

Nature has gifted us with over 450,000 species of plant on Earth. Historically, humans have found uses for almost all of them. But today we get 85% of our nutrients from only 30 crop species. In this new series, Gus (the African Plant Hunter) explores some of the many other species we could be using as crops for the future. Crops that will diversify our production system, dilute the risks from over-reliance on a few species, and make us healthier in the process. In this first episode he explores the Mongongo/Manketti tree (Schinziophyton rautanenii), source of a delicious edible nut and a highly prized cold-pressed oil used for skin and hair care. He also shares the unusual story of the synergy between elephants and humans in the collection of Mongongo nuts.

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#mongongo
#manketti