From threat to economic lifeline: Alien Plant Transformation

Community of Calvinia uprooting honey mesquite shrub as part of alien plant removal. The project is co-founded by Brandt Coetzee.

Calvinia, a small village nestled in the north of Cape Town, is riddled with a type of invasive tree called the honey mesquite shrub (Prosopis glandulosa). The plant, honey mesquite shrub is an indigenous originated from South and Central America, it was brought in from Mexico as a feeding alternative for cattle but began to grow uncontrollably, invading about eight million hectares of the Northern Cape.

From Water Threat to Community Challenge

This alien plant is problematic for the drought-stricken area as it poses a serious threat to the surrounding water systems. Invasives South Africa describes the bush as “extravagant users of readily available groundwater” that compete with indigenous species and restrict the movement of domestic and wild animals, thus causing injuries. South African entrepreneur Brandt Coetzee has transformed what is otherwise a threat into a product that is not only healthy and delicious but is also changing the lives of his community.

Coetzee says his interest in mesquite began in 1996 following a program that involved cutting down the trees around Prieska, a town in Northeast of Calvinia. After receiving the go-ahead, he collaborated with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to research ways in which to use the excessive amounts of dead mesquite lying around. After a failed woodworking factory in 2004, Coetzee sought more ways in which to transform mesquite and control it. He found out that the tree has medicinal properties. This discovery birthed the Manna Blood Sugar Support capsules launched in 2005 that work to support those with Type 2 diabetes or battle with cholesterol.

“It’s really hard to export a natural product that makes health claims,” Coetzee explained to Al Jazeera why he further went on to turn mesquite into coffee. “My main drivers are job creation and water conservation, so I needed something that could go truly global.” The development of Manna Brew has afforded the people of Calvinia the opportunity to make some money. The caffeine-free “super-food espresso” has gained some popularity nationwide and overseas in countries like the US, the UAE, and Australia.

The company puts money into the pockets of about 700 people in the area as Coetzee sources mesquite pods directly from the community. Coetzee has also employed about 12 workers that oversee the daily operations like recording sales and closing up sacks of pods. “This is my third season working here. The work is going great, we get on well together, and the payments are good,” shared one of the workers. “We are all happy.”