Botanical ingredient manufacturer Velden Botanicals believes that the South African botanical industry can become a global force for a new standard of ethical innovation.
Velden Botanicals said marula and rooibos are part of an ever-growing list of indigenous plant extracts, and that African botanicals are increasingly sought after by the global beauty and cosmetics industry.
“The South African botanical industry can become a global force, not only for its rare and powerful plants but also for a new standard of ethical innovation that includes traditional knowledge communities as essential partners in the value chain,” Velden Botanicals added.
Velden Botanicals said that, as global demand for traceable, sustainably sourced and scientifically validated ingredients continues to grow, the conversation is shifting from compliance to collaboration and from extraction to meaningful partnership.
“The ethical sourcing conversation has been framed in terms of risk for too long: the risk of non compliance, the risk of reputational damage, and the risk of failing to meet evolving consumer expectations around transparency and traceability,” the company said.
Mary-Ann Venter, managing director of Velden Botanicals, said ethical sourcing may begin with compliance, but it is built through meaningful relationships in which heritage, science and commercial value support the dignity, visibility and upliftment of communities.
“A permit can authorise access to biological resources. An agreement can define obligations. But neither automatically creates a meaningful relationship. And without that relationship, the industry misses the full potential of what genuine collaboration can deliver,” Venter said.
Velden Botanicals said South Africa has one of the most advanced access and benefit sharing frameworks in the world, supported by the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, the country’s bioprospecting regulations and the Nagoya Protocol.
“These mechanisms recognise both those who provide access to biological resources and the communities whose traditional knowledge contributes to bioprospecting. However, a significant challenge remains: as botanicals move through the value chain, from growers and harvesters to processors, researchers, ingredient suppliers, formulators and brands, commercial value can increase substantially while communities become less visible,” Venter said.
Venter said meaningful benefit sharing means that communities and commercial partners determine together what value, participation and long term opportunity should look like.
“Looking ahead, traditional knowledge holders should not be framed only as historical beneficiaries. They can become conservation partners, growers, propagation specialists, traceability participants, researchers, technicians, processors, entrepreneurs and contributors to accurate ingredient storytelling,” she said.
“If our industry gets this right, the South African botanical industry can be the global leader not only for its rare and powerful plants but also for a new standard of ethical innovation,” Venter concluded.
Professor Simphiwe Madikizela, senior lecturer in economics at Unisa’s School of Graduate Business and Leadership, said he strongly agreed with the proposition.
“African botanicals have the potential to become a significant export and value added industry for South Africa and the broader continent, but the real opportunity is to move beyond exporting raw plant material and develop globally competitive, scientifically validated products and ingredients,” he said.
Madikizela added that South Africa is particularly well positioned because of its extraordinary biodiversity.
“The country has more than 21,000 plant species and several globally important biodiversity hotspots, while plants such as rooibos, buchu, marula, baobab, honeybush and Aloe ferox already have commercial applications,” he said.
Madikizela said Africa has a combination of exceptional biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and unique botanical resources that is increasingly valuable in the global beauty market.
“South Africa alone has more than 21,000 plant species, many of which have characteristics that can be developed into high value cosmetic, skincare, haircare and wellness products. Botanicals such as rooibos, buchu, marula, baobab, honeybush and Aloe ferox already demonstrate commercial potential,” he said.
Madikizela added that the opportunity is much bigger than simply exporting African plants to international markets.
“The real economic opportunity is to move up the value chain, from harvesting and exporting raw materials towards research, extraction, formulation, manufacturing, branding and ultimately exporting finished products and specialised botanical ingredients,” he said.
Madikizela said this could create significant opportunities for rural communities, small businesses, farmers, researchers and manufacturers. “It could also contribute to job creation, particularly if production and processing are located closer to the communities where these resources originate.”
“Traditional knowledge should not be treated simply as a source of information that companies can commercialise. The communities that have conserved these resources and developed knowledge around their use should be recognised as genuine participants in the value chain and should share fairly in the economic benefits,” he said.
yogashen.pillay@nationalmg.co.za