1. The Problem

  • Vast Stretches Of Unproductive Arable Land in Southern Africa (as high as 99%), are not cultivated at all due to a lack of both capital and know-how by the owners.
  • Massive Unemployment in the same areas as the unproductive land.
  • High Cost of Imported Foodstuff: Research indicated that the demand for both edible oil and fertilisers in South Africa is met through importation that results in exorbitant high prices to consumers and farmers.
  • High Cost of Agricultural Inputs: In 2017 SA imported 1,000 MT of Palm Oil (United States Department of Agriculture). In the same year fertilisers to the value of US$499.88 million (ZAR 6.7 billion) was imported to South Africa.
  • Charcoal “killing” Africa:

The “Global Citizen” sums this problem up as follows:

“Charcoal has put deforestation into overdrive, exacerbating already deadly climate change effects and is killing people in their homes.

The World Health Organization says smoke from fires that burn solid fuels like wood, dung, coal and charcoal are killing more than 10,000 people a day. The US government estimates “smoke from open fires and stoves claim 4.3 million lives each year. That’s more than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.”

Deforestation, in general, is a huge problem across Africa. Researchers warn that some areas in South Africa could fully exhaust their fuelwood reserves by 2020. The situation is not any better in other African nations.”

2. The Bio-One Solution: The Farm:

What Is Project Moringa?
It is a farming and production operation on 10,000 to 60,000 hectares of land that will entail the planting of Moringa trees (Moringa oleifera) and Vetiver grass as well as the production of four core products, namely:

The Farm
Each Moringa Project will make use of up to 60,000 ha arable farmland in an area that is not subject to zero degree temperatures, and that falls in an area with a minimum rainfall of 400mm per year. Each Project Moringa will employ 700 to 4,000 people

The farm is divided into the following sections:

  1. Moringa Trees For The Production Of Edible Oil, Honey, Biochar and Wood Vinegar
  2. High-density Moringa Trees For The Production Nutrient Powder, Organic Fertilisers And Bio Char
  3. The Infrastructure on each project will include:
  • Oil Pressing Plant
  • Fertiliser Plant
  • Carbonisation Plant
  • Greenhouse
  • Electricity Plant
  • Offices
  • Staff housing and facilities to meet local social responsibilities.

3. The Bio-One Solution: Organic and Sustainable Products:

Edible Oil

Moringa oil is edible and high quality. Standards will be maintained and certified through testing by SGS
Our oil will be exported in bulk to re-packers in Europe and the USA.

Honey

Our honey will be monofloral, which is rare. We will be planting the moringa in a savanna environment with no other flowers present.
It will be sold in bulk to wholesalers,who will bottle and sell it under their own brand name.
The honey will also be certified by SGS as raw, undiluted and organic. There is a rising demand for honey.

Biochar

Biochar will used for briquettes for fuel and light building material.

One ton of biochar has a volume of five cubic meters which produces 2500 bricks. We get three carbon credits for each ton of biochar that we produce. That income covers all the costs around biochar, making our end price for brick very competitive. In addition, these bricks are so light you can load 5 times more bricks on a truck than clay bricks.

Tar

This will be for our own use on roads within the farm.

Wood vinegar

Wood Vinegar is reduced to a powder and has an indefinite shelf life.

It has many uses:

  • A pesticide, fungicide and herbicide depending on dilution.
  • It can halve the uses of fertilizer.
  • It can also half the use of inorganic pesticide if used in conjunction with such a pesticide.

Nutrient powder

Nutrient Powder is used as food/feed fortification and plant growth stimulant.

Food fortification for Human Consumption:

  • Our powder does not contain chlorophyll.
  • It can be added to bread and biscuits like salt with positive results.
  • It can therefore be added at source like a bakery to feed whole populations.
  • Moringa leaf powder is being used by many organisations for under nourished people.

Feed fortification for Animal Consumption:

  • In Europe it is against the law to feed inorganic growth enhancers to poultry or pigs.
  • Moringa Nutrient Powder completely replaces the need for such growth enhancers to such animals.
  • Our nutrient powder contains, amongst others, a lot of methionine. Methionine is lacking in the balanced diet of feed lots.
  • Moringa contains more methionine than maize and sunflower. The use our nutrient powder as a source of methionine can cut out maize or sunflower in existing feed recipes.

Moringa Nutrient Powder as an Organic Stimulant on Plants:

  • Leads to a 25-120% bigger crop on any plants.
  • If it is used on fruit, the fruit also have a longer shelf life and a bigger sugar content.

4. The Bio-One Super Advantage – Carbon Credits

The offtake of Carbon Credits from each project will ensure cash flow and a solid financial base through established and growing markets.

Moringa and Carbon Sequestration

  • “Moringa trees absorb carbon dioxide 20 times more than other general trees, which means a mature moringa tree can absorb around 80 kg of carbon per year. We are planting moringa trees and using the plantations as carbon credits banks”: 
  • Moringa: Highest Absorption for Carbon Emission: 
  • A paper on Producing Moringa in Limpopo Province, with good figure on crop yields, recommends Moringa for Carbon Capture but does not have figures