Uganda: Mbale Vanilla Has the Best Flavour

Source from:  New Vision (Kampala) 18 December 2007 12/20/2007

BUFUMBO Organic Farmers Association (BOFA), a farmers' community-based organisation has added value to Mbale vanilla. Mbale vanilla is said to have the best flavour because it is grown organically. The fragrance and flavour of vanilla beans is due to the vanillin, which is produced by enzyme action during curing. The flavours of vanilla from different parts of the world vary due to climate, soils, altitude, extent of pollination, level of maturity at harvesting and the methods of curing. According to Susan Nansimbi, the National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) administrative secretary, BOFA will receive its organic certificate early next year after a five-year training in sustainable organic agricultural techniques. In 2002, seven BOFA founders had their first training, which was conducted by Students Partnership Worldwide. The association, which became a member of NOGAMU in 2003, is now made up of 103 members, with seven zones, each with its code number for international organic trade identification. "The certificate will encourage the farmers to produce high grade vanilla which they will sell to European Union and USA. They will earn a premium price over the conventional vanilla," says Moses Muwanga, the NOGAMU, coordinator. "We hope the prices will be higher compared to the sh1,000 - 1,500 offered for inorganic vanilla," said Muhammad Makada, the BOFA chairperson. Makada explained that when they started vanilla farming in 1996, they had scanty information about it. "We began by planting 2ft vines (Ekilwoowa) that took a long time to mature. We now plant 6ft," he explained. He says their vanilla matures within two years. "We are able to harvest two times in a year. We expect to harvest two tonnes per annum." Although vanilla grew well in the old world tropics, fruits were not produced because of the absence of natural pollinators. In 1863 Morren, a scientist, produced pods by artificial hand-pollination in Liege and Edmond Albius, a former slave in Reunion, discovered a practical method of artificial pollination in 1841, which is still used. The flower is so constructed that self-pollination is impossible, unless hand-pollinated, due to the need to separate the stamen from the stigma by the rostellum. Hand-pollination in Uganda is done with a safety pin or other material about the size of a toothpick. The flower is held in one hand and the labellum pushed down with the thumb. The stamen cap is removed by a stick held in the other hand, which exposes the pollinia. The thin flap-like rostellum is then pushed up under the stamen with the stick and by pressing with the thumb and finger, the pollinia are brought into contact with the sticky stigma, to which the pollen mass adheres. Most of the pollination must be done early on bright sunny mornings following rain and must be continued for one to two months until the required number have set fruits. Nambobi explained that they use home-made organic manure and pesticides to fertilise and treat vanilla and other crops. "The pesticides are made from red pepper, tobacco and Muluku (Tephrosia) mixture. At times, we buy organic pesticides from NOGAMU shop at Kabalagala." Anthracnose, Calosposora vanille Massee, is the most serious disease that affects vanilla in most countries. It attacks the stem apex, leaves and roots and results in wilting and falling of the fruits. Cured vanilla pods are also attacked by mildew. After flowering, the crop takes six to nine months to reach harvesting. The pods are harvested rotationally when they are fully grown and the tips have turned yellow. The pods split when they are ripe. The pods are harvested before they are completely ripe, after which they are fermented and cured. The number of beans per vine is about 50-150. About six kilogrammes of green pods produce one kilogramme of cured beans. A vanillery yields about 500-800kg of cured beans per hectare per annum during a crop life of about seven years. The curing process, which begins within a week of harvesting, consists of alternate sweating and drying, during which 70-80% of the water is lost and the typical aroma develops. Good-quality cured beans should be very dark brown, long, flexible, oily, smooth, and strongly aromatic and without defects. In Uganda, the curing process of fresh harvested vanilla beans involves chopping to accelerate enzyme activity. This cuts down the curing process to about four days, drastically reducing production costs. Enditem