Honeybush Plantation
Community Projects
Haarlem and Ericaville

ASNAPP The USAID co-funded ASNAPP Project (Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products) was initiated in 1999 to help develop the natural products sector in Africa by promoting income-generating activities for rural entrepreneurs in such a way that improves the livelihoods of rural communities. ASNAPP uses ongoing training programs to promote organic production methods, business development skills and education in Africa. Cape Natural Tea Products is a founder member of the ASNAPP Honeybush projects at Haarlem and Ericaville.

The Haarlem and Ericaville Honeybush Projects

Haarlem is a subsistence farming community in the Langkloof, Eastern Cape. Opportunities for economic growth or formal employment are limited in the Haarlem area resulting in only a few inhabitants being economically active. Wild harvesting of honeybush (Cyclopia spp) for use as an herbal tea has traditionally been an important source of income to a number of the Haarlem people. The natural population of honeybush species has, however, diminished over the years, affecting the income of the harvesters. Through the intervention of ASNAPP, and a number of sponsors, such as Cape Natural Tea Products, the Haarlem Honeybush Tea Association established a plantation of 10 hectares (about 25 acres) of honeybush in 2000.

Cape Natural Tea Products is committed to buy, process and market the raw material harvested from this honeybush plantation - part of our company vision is to participate in projects, which provide training, employment and income for rural people, and to ensure sustainable harvesting practices. Following on the success of Haarlem, a second community has approached ASNAPP, and a plantation of five ha honeybush was established in 2001 at Ericaville.