From right: Ms Bongiwe Sokwaliwa of the ARC with representatives from 4 SMME’s in Tsitsikamma and Langkloof areas
6-7 August 2024
IKS Biotrade Indaba: Honoring Traditional Knowledge
The ARC Honeybush team attended the 2nd IK and Biotrade Indaba in Gqeberha, hosted by TIA and Nelson Mandela University. Ms. Bongiwe Sokwaliwa and Honeybush community representatives showcased ARC’s work in Honeybush research and community development, providing an opportunity to connect with stakeholders in African traditional medicine, herbal infusions, and cosmeceuticals.
11-16 August 2024
IPUF
The Indigenous Plant Use Forum, better known as IPUF, held its 26th IPUF conference at !Khwa ttu San Cultural Centre, near Darling on the West Coast from11-16 August 2024. Keynote speakers include Prof Adeyemi Aremu based at the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre, North-West University, Dr Ina Vandebroek an ethnobotanist at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica and Prof Sandy van Vuuren from the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Witwatersrand. Dr Cecilia Bester and Ms Bongiwe Sokwaliwa from the ARC attended the conference and presented a paper titled “The impact and role of a community-based business in the Honeybush Industry”. The oral presentation was presented by Ms Sokwaliwa and was well received by the audience. On 16 August a workshop on commercialisation of indigenous plants were held and valuable lessons and opportunities were discussed. On the Wednesday a field trip was held and Mr Bertie Jacoman, a local healer at Mamre, showed and explained the uses of plants as medicine during a very insightful walk in the field. The IPUF conference once again showcased the value and huge biodiversity of South African plants and the many benefits it holds for mankind.
17 July 2024
SAHTA AGM
The annual general meeting (AGM) of the South African Honeybush Tea Association (SAHTA) was held at George on 17 July 2024. Dr Bester chaired and organised the research session at the AGM and is also the chair of the research task group of the SAHTA Board. Miss Mary Jane Mahlare (PhD student) presented on “Effect of irrigation rate on the tea quality of field-grown Cyclopia subternata” and Ms Muriel Knipe informed the industry about the Bruchid beetle damaging Honeybush tea seeds. The research session was well received and once again the importance and contributions of research was recognised by the Honeybush industry.
16 July 2024
HCoP meeting
Dr Cecilia Bester and Ms Bongiwe Sokwaliwa attended the HCoP (Honeybush Community of Practice) meeting in George on 16 July 2024. Stakeholders include anyone that have an interest in honeybush, resulting that various topics are discussed such as conservation, research, access and benefit sharing, funding available, feedback on projects, marketing opportunities and challenges etc. Dr Bester informed them of the possible threat of the Bruchid beetle damaging Honeybush tea seeds.
24 May 2024
Meeting CenGen – Sequencing of Honeybush genome
A meeting was held on 24 May 2024 with Dr Rene Prins from CenGen regarding genome sequencing of honeybush. CenGen receives funding from 1KSA (https://www.1ksa.org.za) a project of DIPLOMICS (www.diplomics.org.za). DIPLOMICS (DIstributed PLatform in OMICS) is a research infrastructure programme funded by the Department of Science and Innovation through its South African Research Infrastructure Road Map Programme. Four honeybush species were nominated and accepted by DIPLOMICS viz Cyclopia maculata, C. longifolia, C pubescens and C. subternata. They were selected due to their lower ploidy levels and commercial use as honeybush tea. Plants of an individual of the four species will be raised at ARC and kept for 20 years. Plantmaterial for DNA extraction will by January 2025 ready and genome sequencing will then be done by CenGen.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7218883547791581184/
30 April 2024
TV interview for Nisboere and shown on DSTV channel 147
Dr Cecilia Bester had an interview on 30 April 2024 with the presenters Dr Philip Venter and Mr Corne Liebenberg from Nisboere about Fynbos breeding focusing on honeybush and rooibos. The interview was broadcasted on 12 May 2024 on DST channel 147 VIA.
Nisboere 8 | Episode 16 – AgriSciences 12 May2024
Interview Dr Cecilia Bester https://f.io/mI4jyn3Y
Two weeks earlier on 28 April 2024 an interview with Ms Mirl Cunningham from Thornham Heuningbos (PTY)LTD was also broadcasted on Nisboere. Thornham Heuningbos is one of the SMMEs supported and developed by the ARC honeybush group. This interview showcased the facilities of the business and their employees working in the nursery as well as plantations of another ARC supported SMME Clarkson Heuningbos (PTY)LTD.
(Nisboere 8 | Episode 14 – The Honeybush Company 28 April)
Thornham Heuningbos https://f.io/1VaISEPm
14 June and 10 July 2024
A “captured audience”: Sensory tea tasting offered by Crop Development
The ARC- Infruitec Nietvoorbij hosted delegates from Robben Island Museum on the 14 June 2024 to look for future collaborations with the museum. Another event of the same nature, ARC Infruitec- Nietvoorbij hosting Unisa delegates was held on 10 July 2024. Ms Bongiwe Sokwaliwa of Crop Development division presented a sensory tea tasting to the delegates on both events of two Cyclopia species namely the Cyclopia genistoides and Cyclopia subternata. The audience enjoyed the tea tasting and for many it was their first taste of honeybush tea. The unique flavour of honeybush left many speechless that processing of a plant could produce such floral, sweet and fruity-sweet flavours naturally. It can be said that the audience were converted into consuming honeybush as many were asking for outlets where they can buy the tea during the tasting journey.