By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
Looks very simple, relatively unremarkable. But don’t be fooled by their simple outlooks! These little nuts are punching above their weight in taste and nutritional values, and even helping support a more sustainable farming and food future in Manicaland districts.
Macadamia nuts or macadamias are increasingly an important crop in Zimbabwe, primarily for income generation among smallholder farmers and for export revenue.
In Zimbabwe, macadamia nuts are mainly grown in the Eastern Highlands districts of the country where the sector is the leading horticultural export crop accounting for 30 percent of the horticultural exports and very good climatic match for the crop and does very well under rain fed conditions
which in turn contributes about 6.5 per cent to total agricultural output and accounts for 4.5 percent of total
regions together with either tea or coffee (AMA, 2023).
Grown in the lush Eastern Highlands of Manicaland — from Chipinge to Chimanimani — Zimbabwean macadamia nuts are loved around the world for their rich, buttery taste and high quality. These golden nuts are now a key export, bringing income to thousands of farmers and putting Zimbabwe on the global map.
Roasted macadamia nuts add the perfect flavour. Macadamias are just as well enjoyed in crunchy or smooth nut butters, or even simpler, on their own as a quick and satisfying snack. These little nuggets not only taste good, but also provide a wide range of nutrients important for good health. A source of copper, phosphorus, magnesium and Vitamin B6, the nutrients in macadamias can help our bodies have the vitamins and minerals they need to run normally – from supporting our immunity and nervous systems, helping with the transport of iron and even promoting normal skin and hair pigmentation. Manganese from macadamias is important for the protection of our cells from oxidative stress and helping in the formation of our connective tissues and bones. Not bad for something so tiny!
It’s not just in the Western world that can benefit from the important nutrients in macadamias. In Chipinge, nuts are grown and harvested by indigenous farmers who are the beneficiaries of the land reform programme. The success of these farms is incredibly important to the local population and the international markets. Staple annual crops such as maize can be volatile and prone to erratic yields, an issue exacerbated by climate change, but farming macadamia nuts can help.
When macadamia nuts are ready to harvest, would provide a valuable crop that can in part be sold to buy food, with the remainder being eaten by the farmer and their families.
Macadamia nuts provide a concentrated source of energy. The majority of this energy comes from ‘healthy’ monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil and avocados. This makes them a really useful energy source for the farmers’ families; in particular for their children. Getting insufficient food at a young age can lead to stunted growth and other conditions caused by malnutrition. It can also affect children’s ability to learn and concentrate. The income from and nutrients in macadamias help rural communities nourish their growing families.
By starting to grow macadamias alongside their usual maize crops, the indigenous farmers that supply delicious macadamia nuts are not only creating a more secure future for themselves, but also for the environment in which they are thriving in. Farming multiple crops can promote biodiversity, help conserve the fertility and moisture in the soil and reduce the impact of extreme weather events on their livelihoods. Farmers from the Eastern side of Zimbabwe are committed to making a difference to the lives of their families, most Zimbabweans, the international food markets and the environment, and actively supporting the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations in 2015. Farmers are helping make positive changes to the way they farm to protect the environment and become more resilient to climate change.
The macadamia nuts have many uses which vary from being eaten raw or roasted (oil roasted /dry roasted) as a snack, used in the confectionery and baking industry as an ingredient, the extracted oil is used in the cosmetic industry to make soaps, lotions and shampoos and the crushed nuts are used to make butter spreads and salad oils.
Shells have their use as mulch, planting medium, plastic manufacture and as a substitute for the sand-blasting process. The husks are used as mulch and composted for fertiliser. Macadamia nuts are increasingly becoming an important crop in the economy of Zimbabwe as it is a source of income, a livelihood for both large-scale and small-scale farmers alike, it is an export earner and a raw material into the industry at the same time. Thousands of people in the Manicaland provincial area estimates that each season more than 4 700 personnel are employed on both the farms and factories.
The crop has growth potential, as the global demand grows, and more indigenous farmers turn to it as a cash crop. There has been a steady increase in the production levels of macadamia nut since the adoption of growing the crop by the Zimbabwean farming community around 2000- after the Land Reform, of course. More and more farmers will be expected to adopt the growing of the crop since it has proven to be a lucrative crop both on the local market and the international market.
Harvested between March and August, our macadamias are exported to China, Europe, and beyond. But the best part? We’re just getting started. With the right support and investment, Zimbabwe’s macadamia industry has the potential to create jobs, boost rural economies, and add even more value — from oils to roasted snacks.
Who could have thought so much good could be wrapped up in such a tiny package? Plant macadamias and in doing so one is sure of better yields and their family support systems. Zimbabwe is becoming a powerhouse in macadamia nuts farming! Let’s celebrate the incredible potential of our land reform. Macadamias from Zimbabwe — proudly grown, proudly shared.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
BSc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
