Spekboom is nutritious, water-wise and edible – so why aren’t more South Africans eating it?

By Alba du Toit, Professor and PARC/DoA/UFS Chair: Innovative Agro-processing for Climate Smart Food Systems, University of the Free State
Faith Matiza Ruzengwe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of the Free State

Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an easy-to-grow succulent shrub, small tree, or hedge.

In the wild, it grows naturally to up to five metres tall on steep slopes and rocky hillsides in the Karoo and Eastern Cape regions of South Africa, where it helps to stabilise soil and prevent erosion. It’s also a champion of carbon…

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