Benefiting from the Tree of Life

In some regions of Africa, oil is extracted from these round brown structures and used for soap making or cosmetic applications. In other areas, the pulp plays a significant economic role. Traditionally, almost all parts of the tree are used—it's not for nothing that the baobab is also known as the "Tree of Life." The fresh leaves, for example, can be cooked and prepared like spinach. Dried and ground, they season porridges, soups, and sauces. Root, bark, and leaf extracts are traditionally used as remedies. It has now been scientifically proven that they have high antiviral and antimicrobial effects. Everyday products such as cords, ropes, baskets, and mats can be made from the bark fibers.

About two years ago, experts from Evonik discovered baobab seeds from rural areas in Ghana and Burkina Faso as a potential source for an oil used in skin and hair care products. "Our Business Line Care Solutions wanted to bring an oil to market that creates ecological, economic, and social value," says Natalia Hinrichs-Tontrup. She is responsible for sustainable raw materials at Creavis, the strategic innovation unit and business incubator of Evonik. This was only possible with suitable partners. The English company Aduna proved to be ideally suited. It had experience, as it was already marketing the baobab pulp from this region in Europe as a superfood. Since the use of the oil, local communities have benefited twice.

The Great Green Wall Initiative, led by the United Nations (UNCCD), has also recognized this. Its goal is to revive 100 million hectares of depleted land in 22 African countries, creating sustainable work and income opportunities for the people living there. To achieve this, an 8,000-kilometer-long mosaic of tree plantings, including baobabs and local cultivation projects, is to be created in the Sahel zone. Besides ecology, the economic perspective must also be right. The trade in baobab fruits represents an important livelihood for the rural population. Evonik buys the previously unused baobab seeds in the region from the collectors, generating additional income for them. The part of the pulp they do not sell serves as a dietary supplement. It never played a role in the basic supply of the people in the villages.

Through the Baobab value chain established by Aduna and ORGIIS, around 2,000 women have already found employment locally, and household income has increased tenfold. ORGIIS acts as a spokesperson and advocate for the local communities. It is clear that only if the project creates social benefits in the region will it gain lasting acceptance and support. Therefore, a portion of the revenue from the sale of the fruit pulp, seeds, and oil is directly invested in ecological and social projects. In the long term, the global marketing of Evonik's Baobab oil can increase the demand for Baobab seeds and lead to the planting and care of more trees, aligning with the Green Wall Initiative. Evonik has launched its Baobab product in collaboration with the UNCCD, supporting their efforts.

In 2020, Evonik launched the "Next Generation Sustainable Feedstocks" program for its cosmetics business. The focus is on sustainable products based on alternative raw materials. Since 2022, these products have been marketed under the Ecohance brand. "Alternative raw materials replace petrochemical, synthetic, palm oil-based, or food-competing raw materials," says Dr. Wolfgang Goertz, Head of Cosmetic Solutions. "One of the most important criteria for alternative raw materials is their origin." The seeds of the Baobab tree from Ghana and Burkina Faso ideally meet these requirements due to the described advantages.

It is also important that the oils in care products do not become rancid when exposed to oxygen in the air, as consumers would find this unpleasant, as Dahl describes. The industry refers to this as oxidation stability. Evonik tested the oxidation stability of the new Baobab oil in the lab, comparing it to argan oil, a commonly used tropical oil in cosmetics, and unrefined Baobab oil. The new Baobab oil performed best, which Dahl attributes to a high content of Vitamin E. Tests on volunteer subjects confirmed the oil's good compatibility and moisturizing effect. It is now used in a variety of skin and hair care products.

In the future, the first processing step, grinding the Baobab seeds, is also planned to take place in Ghana. By 2025, an oil mill is planned to be established at Aduna and ORGIIS, which will provide the oil quality required for export and further improve the employment and income situation locally. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) supports the project through "Invest for Jobs," a program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The support includes training measures for the predominantly women-led associations of Baobab collectors and processors, as well as financial assistance for acquiring the necessary equipment.