Elim Project Systems Limited (EPSL) has been at the forefront of agricultural innovation growing African vegetables in Scotland for the European market. Since 2012, EPSL pioneered the cultivation of African green (or African spinach) in collaboration with a Scottish farm. Trial planting was done for few years before the first marketable products were delivered in 2015 with much success. The vegetable has been well received by Europeans, Asian and African people living in Europe. Demand for the product has continued to outstrip supply as the European customers discover the health benefits of the organic vegetables. EPSL’s pioneering effort has been very significant: being the first company, in the whole of Europe, to grow African vegetables and crops on a European farm for the market.
Customers have been very much appreciative of the vegetables – described by some as being crunchier than spinach with long shelf life and very tasty. It is currently locally grown, using sustainable methods and grown to organic standards without using chemicals. The vegetables arrive in shops in excellent conditions and are delivered fresh to customers. As such, they are very healthy, very well appreciated by customers and constitute no harm to the environment. With the excellent reception of the vegetable in the market, the challenge is to upscale production to enable the customers to have access to their desired quantity of the product. We want to export African vegetables and crops to countries outside Europe.
Efforts are being made to grow other African vegetables and crops for the market such as Ugwu (fluted gourd), Okra, Ewedu (long fruited vegetable), and peppers. Potential collaborators (farmers wishing to be part of this novel venture) are welcome to contact EPSL.