24 Nov 2024

The Ramo-Tjidambi Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society is a start-up that seeks to venture into an integrated farming and operate a sustainable and profitable business. 

The Cooperative Society comprises 35 individual members in Ramokgwebana in the North East District, 75 kilometres north of Francistown, along the A1 road who intends planting Tjidambi plant for various purposes. 

The cooperative society intends to diversify into other sectors than the plantation of the Tjidambi plant so as to create job opportunities within the district. 

Chairperson of Ramo-Tjidambi Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Mr Magwaile Khao, told BOPA that the initiative resulted from realization of the potential benefits of a plant locally known as Tjidambi, which is Roselle, or scientifically known as Hibiscus Sabdarifa. 

He said Tjidambi has many health benefits, literally all its parts being edible and the plant has been used for traditional medicines, as food, tea, spices and beverages in many cultures particularly in Africa. 

“The society saw a business opportunity in exploring the Tjidambi plant and trying out different ways of using it for consumption and economic benefits,” he said. 

On the other hand, he said, they intend to exploit its diversity to produce different products such as jam, juice, sweets, yoghurt, beverage powders, and tea leaves. 

He highlighted that samples have been sent to The National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) for further research, investigations and improvement of the plant to establish shelf life when packaged, nutritional composition and other properties available in Tjidambi plant. 

Looking at the objectives of the society, Mr Khao said it involved raising public awareness on how useful and beneficial Tjidambi plant was to humans as food as well as having many potential health benefits. 

He said the other objective was to generate income for members of the cooperative and assist in eradicating poverty within the community and offer quality products at an affordable price and maximize profits. He said the project would open opportunities for investment by growing, processing and packaging of Tjidambi products adding that this would increase national food security both at household and national level. 

Mr Khao said the cooperative society would integrate other agriculture and non-agricultural economic activities for the improvement of livelihoods of members and different communities in the village. 

He said this would be possible by working with other established village groups such as the Village Development Committee (VDC), Village Extension Team (VET), Parent Teachers Association (PTA), health committees and others. Ends